Ever since Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus reached the NBA, he has made it a point to give back to his community. A major way he has done so is through his Max Strus Basketball Camps, which are held at his alma mater, Amos Alonzo Stagg High School. This year’s annual event ran from July 20-23, marking the fifth anniversary of his camps.
Strus often gets some of his NBA teammates to join him. This year, Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill stopped by on the first day, and former teammate Isaac Okoro arrived for day three.
The Hickory Hills, IL, native has never forgotten where he came from. His passion for giving back is why his love for his hometown is mutual.
Max’s Camp Drills
The camp splits up kids – with second through fifth graders in one session and sixth through eighth in the next. In the first session, campers were split into groups, highlighting the importance of teamwork.
Joy and fun are key elements to the drills, but fierce competitiveness is also a part of the gig. Strus engages in playful trash talk with the kids during games of knockouts, toeing the line between encouraging mentor and competitive foe.
The first step is to get the blood pumping, as campers start by jogging baseline to baseline. Next, handles are put to the test. Kids dribble up and down the court, waiting for each group to finish while cheering one another on.
The shooting drills are fan favorites. The youth are challenged to make shots from various points on the floor. Each team is stationed at one hoop as kids take turns shooting before time runs out. The goal is simple: whichever team makes the most baskets wins the round.
Strus doesn’t pop in to say hi and go off to fill his day with other activities; he sticks around to interact with attendees. Even after five years, seeing the smiles on families’ faces never gets old. The fact that he gets to do it in a city that is home makes it that much sweeter.
“It feels insane. I feel old; it’s crazy,” Strus said on hitting the five-year mark. “Every year walking into those doors to the school that I went to, and being able to give back to the kids that are gonna come here in future generations – it means everything to me.”
Max Strus Has Inspired the Youth Through His Journey
Part of why Strus is an inspiration to kids isn’t just because he has reached the highest level of basketball. The adversity he has faced along the way embodies the exact message he hopes to instill.
Strus went undrafted in 2019, playing on two-way contracts before eventually making his official NBA debut with the Chicago Bulls. But just as he was ready to carve out a role for himself, he tore his ACL in a G League game. Strus then signed with the Heat, where he made his name as one of the league’s most prolific shooters. Now a key member of the Cavs, his journey is a reminder to never give up.
“Nothing can stop you. Don’t sell yourself short, and you can do anything you put your mind to as long as you work hard and continue to be a good person,” Strus said of what he hopes people can learn from his story.
“Do the right thing day in and day out and be consistent in building good habits – which is all we’re tryna communicate and teach at this camp – then anything’s possible.”
Strus often imagines himself in the position of the young campers who make time to come out every year. He thinks about what the impact of seeing a professional athlete return to his hometown would have had on him. He knows that without the kids and parents who continually support him, his impact would be much more limited.
Strus’ Camps Are Making an Impact Beyond Basketball
The camps don’t just teach kids the ins and outs of basketball; they highlight people whose stories are connected to causes important to Max.
The Max Strus Family Foundation was founded in 2025 to support youth sports, mental health, and battling illnesses. In the last year, the foundation has donated over $160,000 to those in need.
The Gary Strong Award was created along with the foundation’s inception, named after the father of Jacob Wimmer, Strus’ longtime friend who passed away in 2024 following a battle with esophageal cancer. The award honors those who show strength and resilience even while experiencing unimaginable health challenges.
Strus also partners with the Andrew Weishar Foundation to help families in need of financial aid assistance. It is named after one of Strus’ family friends growing up, Andrew Weishar, after he passed away from cancer in 2012. The deaths of Andrew and Gary played a large role in fueling Strus’ desire to help families going through illness.
On the final day of camp, Strus announced Kory Wiita as this year’s Gary Strong Award recipient. Wiita suffered a paralyzing spinal cord injury in his senior year of high school after making a tackle on the football field. His persistent fight in the face of adversity earned him the award, making him the second recipient since its inception.
“I think it’s so special – at the end of each week, at the end of every year, we are able to help the Andrew Weishar Foundation, and now also on behalf of my foundation having a Gary Strong Winner,” said Strus. “Just trying to spread joy, spread light in people’s lives that may be a little dim right now; that are going through tough times and battling some adversity.”
Using His Platform to Bring People Together
Despite making a name for himself in the NBA and being a hometown icon, Strus’ humility has never left him.
“I know you think it’s pretty cool that you get to meet me,” he said to a crowd of kids looking at him with reverence, “even though I don’t think that’s very cool.”
So after five years of successful basketball camps, what does Strus have in mind for the future?
“I can’t even ask for more. It’s been everything I’ve wanted and more up to this point,” he gratefully expressed. “So I don’t know the answer to that question…It’s been phenomenal so far, and my family does a great job putting it on, so I can’t ask for much more.”
Final Day of Camp
His final camp came just hours before his first parking lot party at Moraine Valley Community College. The event celebrated five years of camps and was free to attend. The party featured drone shows, food trucks, and live music.
After four days of putting on camps, he could have called it a wrap on his hometown appearances for the summer. But celebrating the camp’s longevity with the community that made it all possible was important for Strus.
“Five years of what we’ve been able to accomplish with this camp, and I’ve always wanted to give back and have something around the area that people can come to,” he said.
Strus isn’t trying to be a hero with his generosity; he just wants to play a part in impacting others and bringing people together.
“I think the world needs a little more kindness and togetherness,” Strus said. “Not that I’m gonna save the world by doing this, but I think just having a night like this where everybody can come together and listen to some music, share some laughs – it’s gonna be great…”
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