The Official Site of Jordan Farmar

Wed, Jul 23rd 2008, 10:04

Jordan visits Mattell Children's Hospital

Even though he has always played in Los Angeles, Jordan Farmar seems to be constantly moving.

On Tuesday, he was hustling down the hallways of Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA, signing hats and other memorabilia just before bringing them to the kids. More importantly, he was bringing smiles.

One girl wasn’t so sure she liked hoops. “I play for the Lakers,” Farmar beamed as he handed her a shirt. He looked over to some of her family members in the room. “But you can give this to your brother if you don’t like basketball.” She grinned. And kept the shirt. Not wanting to leave anybody out, Farmar invited her brother to his inaugural basketball camp being held next month in Pauley Pavilion.

Family is clearly important to Farmar. He was joined in the hospital by his mom, sister, and stepdad. His sister plays basketball for Taft High School, where Jordan led his team to the Los Angeles city championship before going on to play in the NCAA Finals for UCLA and NBA Finals for the Lakers. She’ll join him on an upcoming trip to the Middle East to launch another basketball camp — with a unique goal.

“It started when my agent, Arn Tellem, introduced me to a camp called Seeds of Peace in Maine,” explained Farmar. “I did that a couple years ago. They bring together kids from all the conflict areas: Israel, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan … they live together, they room together, they play together. It sends the message that things don’t have to be the way they are back home. They can have a Palestinian friend or an Egyptian friend, who may have completely different religious beliefs or family values, and still [they] don’t have to be at war with each other. It’s the same message that we’re doing, we’re just going on-site and doing it with basketball camps in Israel.”

The young Laker is big on green initiatives, too. His camp back home at Pauley will feature yoga instead of regular stretching and during that time they’ll dim the lights. He’ll also park a hybrid Escalade outside “to try and plant the message … to get the kids to realize that the future is everything.”

Back at the hospital, he expressed hope that they could find corporate sponsors to help build a new play room for the kids — maybe powered by solar panels or another green twist.

Farmar explained why he was about to go into another ward. “These children are fighting and going through some tough things. For them to have somebody there who they may have seen on TV or their parents may be fans of, it’s just doing something different and getting their mind off of being in the hospital.”

Reporters and photographers weren’t allowed in the next room. Farmar’s mother, Mindy Kolani, waited in the hallway, too. Jordan’s father was a professional baseball player and Kolani pitched a two-hitter in high school. But athletic genes weren’t her most important legacy that afternoon. She recalled telling her son, “If you make the NBA I want two things from you. I want you to take care of your sister if something happens to me and I want you to start a charity.”

Farmar popped back out. “I’ve been working with the Mattel Children’s Hospital all year long, ever Sunday game I brought a child and their family out. They come, hang out before the game, watch us warm up, get to watch the game with their family, and then hang out with me after.”

Mom clearly got her wish. All these activities are coordinated under the Jordan Farmar Foundation. People who want to help out can find out more on his website.

Even though he’s a young man out to change the world, Farmar says he isn’t looking to get into politics.

“Not yet.”

Of course, last week he introduced Barack Obama at a major fundraiser. “I had a chance to meet somebody who is young, who represents change, something different,” said Farmer. “We’ve never had a person of color running for that office. I’m a multi-cultural kid, coming from a lot of different backgrounds.”

Not yet?

What’s keeping him out?

Well, there is that pesky day job.

A few hours after visiting the hospital, he was across campus honing his hoops skills in a legendary pick-up game with fellow NBA players and some rising Bruins.

Farmar dished out a few assists on the court — just like he’s doing in real life.

Story by Adam Rose of the Los Angeles Times

View photo gallery of event