Last month, Evans hosted his eighth annual Reggie Evans BBQ For Pensacola, and will host the first annual Reggie Evans Pro Athlete Charity Softball game in Pensacola on July 13th.
Zwerling writes that Evans was raised mostly by his mother, as his father was in and out of jail while Evans grew up:
“My mom pretty much raised me,” he told ESPNNewYork.com. “My daddy sold drugs and he was in and out of jail, and stuff like that. It was kind of rough. I’m just basically trying to give back to the least fortunate who don’t really have nothing in life in terms of trying to succeed in life. … As long as I’m keeping kids level-headed and just instilling hope and faith in them, I know they can make it.”
Evans added that he’s hoping to create a real relationship with the father who wasn’t around, and how that inspired him to be the father he is:
“To be honest with you, we talk, we communicate and stuff. Things are getting better I can say. I’m feeling real real good about that,” he said. “He wasn’t really there for me full-time, so him not being there made me want to be there for my kids. Quality time means more than anything for them, so he helped me out a lot. I looked at it from a positive standpoint. Now, me and my daddy are cool.”
Evans has three children: Amiya, 9, Alise, 6, and Reggie Jr., 1. Reggie Jr. was often in the locker room after Nets home games this season.
ESPN New York — Relationship with father fuels Evans’ work
