Former Viper Aaron Brooks helping out at camp

http://www.themonitor.com/sports/vipers_15145___article.html/camp_brooks.html

Former Vipers, current NBA players Watson, Brooks to help out at camp
July 26, 2008 - 5:59PM
By Todd Mavreles | The Monitor
PHARR - C.J. Watson might have only spent a couple of months with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers before being signed by the NBA's Golden State Warriors, but he didn't give it a second thought when the NBA Development League team asked him to return to be an instructor at its upcoming summer basketball camp. Watson and Aaron Brooks of the Houston Rockets will be on hand Monday through Wednesday to offer NBA star power to the Vipers Summer Basketball Camp for boys and girls ages 6 to 17 at the Summit Sports Club.

Daily sessions begin at 9 a.m. and run to 2:30 p.m. The registration fee is $125, which includes one-on-one instruction, a camp T-shirt, a basketball, one Vipers game ticket for the 2008-09 season and food.

Watson, who averaged 26.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 16 games with the Vipers during the 2007-08 D-League season before being signed by Golden State in January, says that as a veteran of camps growing up it was only natural for him to answer the Vipers' call to help at their three-day skills development session.

"When I was younger I went to a lot of 5-Star camps and a lot of camps in Las Vegas," said Watson, who averaged 3.7 points, 1.1 assists and 11.5 minutes per game in 32 games with Golden State. "I learned a lot from them. The Vipers just asked me if I could do anything to help and give back to the kids. It's great because someone did it for me when I was younger."

Brooks, who was assigned to the Vipers briefly last season by the Houston Rockets, also cites a desire to give back to a community that he enjoyed during his short stay. As a rookie for the Rockets, Brooks played in 51 games and averaged 5.2 points, 1.7 assists and 11.9 minutes per game. In two games with RGV, Brooks averaged 23.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game.

"I just enjoyed myself when I was down there. I had fun," Brooks said. "It's a good opportunity to give back to the community which gives to the Vipers team. It's just a good time to be back down there and lift basketball up around there."

Other camp instructors expected to be on hand include former University of Texas-Pan American star Mire Chatman and Vipers forward Stanley Asumnu. For more information on the camp, contact the Vipers at (956) 566-1774.