25-year-old NBA veteran C.J. Miles visits Greeley’s Blacktop Basketball Camp

Fernandes, Miles and Lops
Monday, July 9, 2012
by Christine Yeres

Utah Jazz star C.J. Miles spent close to three hours at Dave Fernandes’ and Liz Lops’ Blacktop Basketball camp at the Greeley gym in the first week of summer vacation.  Miles, an unrestricted free agent, spent time talking to campers and counselors, giving them details about his road to the NBA, then let them witness a real, live one-hour work out.

Now 25, Miles entered the NBA seven years ago from Skyline High School in Dallas, Texas—the very last player to join directly from high school.  According to Gary Abrams, the Blacktop audience shot their questions fast and furiously.  “They kids asked every question they could think of for about 45 minutes,” said Abrams.

Q: What’s your pre-game meal?

A: A piece of chicken or fish, with vegetables.

Q: How many pairs of shoes do you own?

A: 140 in New York alone.

Q: How many cars do you own?

A: Three.

Q: What’s your favorite video game?

A: NBA 2K12.

Q: Who are your best friends in the NBA?

A: Paul Milsap and Gordon Heywood.

Q: Do you have a girlfriend?

A: Not at the moment.

Q: Why do you live in New York during the off-season?

A: To work out with my trainer, Brad Ceisler.

And speaking of Ceisler, Miles returned later in the day with his trainer-and-agent to go through a one-hour workout as the kids ooh’d and ahhh’d.  “The Blacktop Camp was treated to an NBA training session in which C.J. took close to 600 shots in less than 45 minutes,” reported Abrams. 

This was Blacktop’s 23rd season.  Coached by boys’ varsity coach Dave Fernandes, boys’ freshman coach Liz Lops, and a team of Greeley basketball players, the camp for rising 3rd through 9th graders runs each year for four days in the first week of summer vacation with a program of lectures, practice stations, team practice, practice games, guest speakers and Dave’s famous BBQ’d hamburgers and hots.  Mark your calendars now for next year!