Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Duke basketball player visits Spokane on tour to support disabled community

A little boy in a blue shirt and basketball shorts stands beside Duke basketball player Brennan Besser.

At 6-foot-5, Besser towers over the boy, who attempts a free throw and barely misses. Besser jumps up and completes the shot before handing the ball back.

“Try again,” he urges.

On the second try, the ball swishes through the net, to cheers from Besser and the boy’s teachers.

Besser, who visited North Central High School in Spokane on Tuesday, is cycling across the country to raise money for the intellectually and developmentally disabled community.

The basketball clinic included participants from the Northwest Autism Center, as well as teens from North Central. Besser took an hour working with the kids on dribbling, passing and shooting.

As the students practiced, Besser paced beside them, giving instructions and encouragement as he went. “Good job!” he said to one student practicing a pass. “Nice, good work!”

Besser began his bike journey May 16 in Seattle and plans to finish in New York. He will visit roughly 50 cities over the summer.

The trip is part of his Walk On America campaign, which he co-founded with his sister, Rachel Besser. As he visits new states and cities, Besser said, he plans to hold more community events such as the one at North Central.

The name “Walk On America” has a double meaning. First, Besser said, it’s meant to encourage those affected by disabilities to persevere and “walk on.” It’s also a nod to his joining Duke’s basketball team as a walk on.

He and Rachel were inspired to start the campaign because of their sister, Jacqueline, who is nonverbal and has significantly impaired motor skills, he said.

“(Jacqueline) is one of my best friends,” Besser said. “I’m hoping to leverage this unbelievable fan base to do something good.”

His goal for Walk On America is to raise $1 million for charities. That option to donate is available on the Walk On America website.

For Besser, raising money means dozens of miles per day of biking, interspersed with events like Tuesday’s clinic.

“(He) has some mental toughness,” Rachel said. “I’m just impressed and excited.”

She said a big goal has been providing support for children and adults who don’t have a strong support system like their family did.

“Even with our family having help, there was a lot of challenges,” Rachel said. “When kids or adults don’t have the resources they need, that really pulls at me.”