CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The second annual ‘Shoot Hoops, Not Guns’ tournament will be held this Saturday, May 10, at 9 am at West Oso High School in honor of Devon King, former bear basketball player.
The proceeds will go to the Devon King Scholarship Foundation and the West Oso ISD basketball team.
“He walked in a room, everybody lit up like people would just stop and go oh,” Deanna Taylor, Devon King's Grandmother, said.
Devon King was a well-known basketball player at West Oso High School in 2018.
His mother, Bonnie Landry, told KRIS 6 News that he had an outgoing personality and was their protector.
“Devin was naturally talented at basketball,” Landry said. “He didn't have to work hard. He was really good at it.”
Back in 2023, Devon was shot and killed outside a nightclub in San Antonio.
His family created a basketball tournament to honor Devon and his love for basketball alongside West Oso ISD.
This year will be the second year West Oso hosts the 'Shoot Hoops, Not Guns' tournament and are excited what this year can bring.
“What we do is all the money that we raise is donated to West Oso in a form for a scholarship for a few students and to give money to some of their programs that need it,” Landry said.
Landry said last year, the tournament helped provide scholarships to two student athletes to help pay for their education. Some of the money was also sent to Devon's former basketball team.
“Have new jerseys, have new shooting tops, have new travel uniforms, and this past year we were even able to go to Hidalgo… for a basketball tournament and even travel to San Antonio on a charter bus with these proceeds that were given,” Chantze Avery, West Oso ISD Head Coach of Boys Basketball Team, said.
Those are some of the reasons Devon's family and West Oso ISD encourage people to attend Saturday's tournament.
The first game starts at 9 am and will run throughout the day. Tickets for adults are $,5 and students are $3 for entry.
“I think he would enjoy it,” Landry said. “I think he would really love it. If it wasn't in honor of him, he would definitely be here playing.”
Taylor gives a reminder to the community as to why it's called ‘Shoot Hoops, Not Guns’.
“I want these young men and women to understand that they need to find other ways, violence…It's not the way to go,” Taylor said.
Organizers of the event said they hope to continue this tournament for years to come.
