Golden Triangle residents who want to hang out with a professional basketball player will have the chance this weekend when the city of Starkville celebrates Travis Outlaw Day.
Outlaw is a Starkville High School graduate who averaged 12.8 points per game during the 2008-2009 season for the Portland Trailblazers of the NBA. He will be on hand Saturday at McKee Park for a day full of food, fun, prizes and more.
“This is Travis” way of giving back to the community and letting the community know how much he appreciates all the support they have given him,” said Markeeta Outlaw, Travis” mother and Starkville city clerk. “For us, it”s more of a way of letting the community come out and visit with Travis and talk with him so he can personally thank them. We invite the whole community to come out and have fun with us.”
Events begin 10 a.m. Saturday at McKee Park and will last until about 3 p.m. Children will have the opportunity to take part in everything from foot races and jump roping to football throwing contests and basketball games. A three-on-three basketball tournament is scheduled at the city”s Sportsplex on Lynn Lane with sign-ups beginning that morning around 8:30 a.m. or 9 a.m.
For adults, a barbecue contest will take place throughout the day at McKee Park. There also will be hot dogs, cotton candy, drinks, popcorn and sno cones, complements of Travis Outlaw.
Door prizes also will be handed out, as well as a grand prize, which typically is an autographed Travis Outlaw jersey, his mother said.
The NBA star will make a donation to the city”s Boys and Girls Club at the end of the day, Markeeta Outlaw said.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.