DORCHESTER, MASS. (WHDH) - NBA champion and Dorchester native Bruce Brown received a warm welcome at the Boys and Girls Club.
Brown returned to his hometown to meet with kids and share an inspiring message.
“I was a kid sitting here at Dorchester YMCA, Boys and Girls Club listening to people coming to talk to me,” Brown told a group of kids. “If you have a goal and people say it’s too high or too hard to reach, I’m sure that you can do it because I’ve done it.”
The club launched a campaign when Brown won the NBA championship after the Denver Nuggets last season to get Brown to come back to the place he spent time as a child.
“Come back to Dorchester, Bruce!” their video said.
Brown, who signed with the Indiana Pacers in the offseason, said he was thrilled to return. He even played a knockout game. Brown ended up coming in second, losing to one of the club employees.
Brown took pictures and answered questions, asking for advice for children in Dorchester to reach their goals.
“I would say don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone,” Brown said. “So really just experience new things, try new things.”
The kids see Brown as a role model, and some said his visit encourages them to reach for the stars.
“It shows me that I can do great things as well. It may not be sports, it may not be in his field but I can achieve great things in my life and every other kid here, every other kid in Dorchester can achieve great things just like Bruce Brown did,” said attendee Jaylen Lopes.
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