- Kenyon Martin

For those of us who know Kenyon Martin, we understood it was only a matter of time until he established a foundation to help touch the lives of young people.  You see, there's just no one Kenyon cares about more than children.  

Most fans know Kenyon for his imposing presence on the floor, intense stare and physical play.  However, most people don't get to see him when the cameras turn off.  People make assumptions based on the sound bites they hear and his on the court demeanor.

Honestly, I can only think of a handful of players I have had better interactions with off the court.  A lot of NBA players are very good about acting one way when the cameras are on and act another way entirely when they turn off.  By that I mean some players will turn on that great smile for the camera and then act as if you don't exist once it turns off.  This couldn't be further from the case with Kenyon.  

Probably the best conversation I've ever had with Kenyon happened in the bowels of STAPLES Center walking to the team bus.  No one was around.  There was no one to impress and nothing for Kenyon to gain.  Still, Martin approached me, shook my hand and introduced me to his son.  Kenyon was just being Kenyon.

Yes, Kenyon can be a bit prickly with the media sometimes.  Thing is, dude will admit as much when you talk to him.

In a candid conversation last year, Martin told me: "I got the label of being a butthole to people.  And I can be, but I love my teammates.  If you're on my team I love you to death.  But if not, I'll treat you that way.  It's just the way I grew up basically, man.  People look at it.  People see the screaming, yelling, cussing and whatever I do out on the court and they run with it."

"Controversy sells," Martin added with a grin.  "If Kenyon's not out here cussing someone out in the locker room then nobody cares about it."

Martin's right in the sense that people remember the controversial moments of his career.  However, they often aren't around to see him interact with his kids and other young people.  There's just something about the way his eyes light up in the presence of kids that lets you know just how genuine the interaction really is.  It's this kind of passion for helping children that prompted Kenyon to start the Kenyon Martin Foundation.

Denver Vice President of Player Personnel Rex Chapman shared a story which personifies Kenyon's intrinsic interest in helping young people.

"When he was out with his second major knee surgery, there was a timeout on the court.  There was a little kid who was out there during a contest who was trying, trying, trying to make a basket.  It had gotten to the point where everyone in the building was wanting this kid to make a basket, and Kenyon went out there -- and he was just barely off crutches -- and went out there, lifted the kid up and put him by the rim.  The kid dunked it and the place went crazy.  

"I think that you see that with Kenyon.  In a lot of ways, he sees this world through the eyes of a child.  When he sees children, whether it's his kids or someone else's kids, his eyes light up.  With Kenyon putting himself out there to do something like this is going to allow people to see a different side of him.  A side that we all get to see everyday."

Martin said his charity efforts will be largely focused in Denver, Oak Cliff where he grew up and Cincinnati where he attended college.

"I did a few things in Jersey," Martin explained.  "But me being here, I think I've been accepted by the community a lot more than I was in Jersey.  Jersey is so spread out.  (Denver) is more of a family city.

"I'm just looking forward to doing all I can in those three spots to make things better.  I think I have a great idea, I have great people behind me who are going to help me.  I'm just looking forward to it."

And for those folks thinking Martin's foundation is going to be an organization with his name on it that other people run as we see with so many professional athletes... well, think again.

"I just wouldn't have my name affiliated with it and people never see me or have a basketball camp and only show up the last day of the camp or things like that like I've heard stories of other players doing," Martin asserted.  "I'm not going to do that.  I'm going to be there everyday.  I'm going to get involved, give people my e-mail address, phone number, and if they have any questions they can call me.  I'm available and I'll pick the phone up.  That's what it's about.  It's being personable.  It's not just, okay, Kenyon Martin has a foundation let's see how much money we can get out of it.  I'm not going to do that to people.  I wouldn't waste my time to get this started, so I'm not going to waste anybody else's time."

Earlier this week, Martin hosted a Thanksgiving Dinner Donation at a local Denver church.  He will also have an official launch event for the foundation next month.

"On December 8th at Jing's Restaurant in Greenwood Village there's going to be a launch event.  It's going to be a great time," said Martin.

Martin hopes this will be the start of a longstanding relationship with the people of Denver.

"I don't think I'm going anywhere... Rex," Martin joked as he turned to look at Chapman.

Based on Martin's production on the court and his philanthropic endeavors off of it, it seems likely Martin will remain a part of the Denver community for some time.