MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Superbowl champion and Olive Branch native KJ Wright returned home from Seattle to host a charity event. Where I asked him all the details the community needed to know to attend the celebrity basketball game.
Question: How does it feel to be back home?
KJ Wright: “It feels good. Trying to get acclimated to this weather it was cold out in Seattle, but it feels good to be back home.”
Question: What is the reason you’re back here today? I heat it’s to come back to your high school in a big way.
KJ Wright: “Yeah so just playing at Olive Branch High School was absolutely amazing. Friday night lights playing football. My football team was undefeated my senior year. We were one of the best teams to come out of Olive Branch. I was a dual-sport athlete and so that’s why I’m in town now, to have my first annual alumni charity basketball game and I’m so excited to make this happen. It’s going to be a three-point contest we’re going back to the ’70s to the 2000s with people participating in this basketball game.”
Question: You’re raising money for the athletic programs right?
KJ Wright: Yes, so all the money is going directly to the school. I’m not taking a penny of this, it’s all going directly to the schools, to put back into the sports programs just to help with the basics. Cleats, travel, jerseys, and just to keep these kids active keep them growing to give them something exciting to look forward to. Sports is definitely a way to get out of the house get off the social media to just get out there and have a good time.”
Question: Tickets are selling fast for this event, so kind of tell everyone what they should expect, where they should go to find the tickets, and what they see once they get there.
KJ Wright: To make it easy just go to my Instagram or Twitter, Kj_wright34 and just click on the link. We only have about 200 tickets left and so I suggest you get them right now because Friday night is going to be special. We’re going to have food trucks on the outside, DJs when you walk in, photo booths out there, and some all-stars playing from back in the day in this alumni game. We’re going to honor people at halftime that did great stuff in the community. My coach passed away one of my teammates did so we’re going to honor their families. It’s going to be a very special night and I just can't wait until it comes to life.”
Question: Okay so we talked about you being at the highest level. So I'm going to take you back to Superbowl 48. Which was the Superbowl that you all won, a blowout over the Broncos you were just coming back off injury, correct?
KJ Wright: “yes, that year was emotional for me. I was even a little hesitant that I would be playing in that game because I broke my foot late in the season but thank god I had really good athletic trainers to get me back in full health, to just be in that game was absolutely everything to me. It’s every football player's dream to play in the Superbowl. I’m just excited that these young kids could have someone to look up to. I just thank god that he’s put me in the position to show these kids hey I was in your shoes. I was in elementary, I was in middle school. I did some things that I wish I could take back and so just for him to put me in the position to come back into the city and kids have someone to look up to. I’m just happy that I’m in this position.
Question: Like he said if you want to find that information to go to that charity basketball game…the money is going to a great cause to help out the athletic program in the north Mississippi area at Olive Branch high and you can find that on his Instagram, for now, we’ll go to break.