Celebrity game gets kids off the streets

Ikhor Hoops

Ikhor celebrity game. Vype

Originally appeared on Vype.com

A celebrity basketball game presented by Ikhor is an event you want to make sure you let your kids attend in the future.

Over the weekend, Ikhor hosted a free celebrity basketball game in the heart of 5th Ward at the legendary J Prince Gym.

In the celebrity game, you had neighborhood legends, collegiate players, and international superstars that all grew up from around the area representing Rap A Lot Records and 1501 Certified.

While Houston’s streetball legends like The Goat, Sir Isaac, and Konfuzion are names worthy to come out and see, the celebrity game was serving a deeper purpose than just watching superstars put on a show.

“This is all about getting the kids off the street,” William Fawell, founder of Ikhor said.

Being a Houston native, Fawell understands that if there are no free and positive activities in the community for kids to participate in, they can easily fall into trouble by hanging out in the streets.

The beauty in what the celebrity game was able to do is not just get younger kids to come in and watch the game, but it also gave high school athletes from around the city a chance to come in and compete against each other.

“It feels good to be a part of this,” Ronald Harleston, a guard from Madison High School said. “It’s nice for these superstars to come out and put on a free show for the kids.”

In addition to getting kids off the streets, the Ikhor celebrity game has an endless amount of career choices for the kids to be exposed to.

Once the kids enter the gym, they have a chance to take interest in everything that makes up the Ikhor brand such as photography, videography, fashion, and of course basketball.

While everyone may not be talented enough to play basketball in the future, getting kids to see a variety of career choices in their own community is something Fawell believes is extremely valuable to young minds.

“I believe the mind is a terrible thing to waste and it’s also the most powerful part of your body,” Fawell said. “It’s great for the kids to see the different things they can do because they’re the future.”

The word Ikhor (originally spelled Ichor) means the blood of the Greek gods which is something you can’t kill and as Fawell continues to grow Ikhor, he plans to not let anything kill his desire to inspire the minds of the future.

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The Texans made some big upgrades to the offense! Composite Getty Image.

The Texans made their first splash of the 2025 NFL Draft by trading back from pick No. 25 to No. 34 overall, landing Iowa State wide receiver Jayden Higgins early in the second round. The move down with the Giants gave Houston flexibility—and still brought them a potential weapon with rare physical tools.

Higgins comes in at 6'4", 214 pounds, with a 4.47 forty and a 39-inch vertical. That size-speed combo makes him a strong candidate for an X receiver role or a power slot option, where he could carve out a significant target share. While he can win from the boundary, the mismatch potential inside might unlock more of his upside.

Fantasy Pros analyst Derek Brown sees Higgins as a developing player in the mold of former Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas. Higgins ranked 20th in yards per route run vs. man coverage, showing he can create separation against NFL-style looks. He’s forced 25 missed tackles over the past two years, though he’s not exactly a YAC monster—averaging 4.5 yards after catch per reception. For comparison, Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan posted 5.5 YAC per catch for his career and had more missed tackles forced in 2024 alone than Higgins managed across two seasons.

Still, Higgins’ physicality and potential as a power slot make him a fascinating fit for Houston’s offense. If he had played at a higher-profile program, some scouts believe he might have cracked the first round. He’ll need to improve his release off the line and consistently play to his size, but the traits are all there. With Jaylin Noel as his teammate at Iowa State, Higgins didn't always have the spotlight—but in Houston, he might just grow into it. He possesses similar traits to Nico Collins, which could come in handy considering Collins tends to miss time due to injury every season.

Here's what NFL.com's Draft Analyst Lance Zierlein thinks about Higgins via NFL.com:

Big inside/outside wideout with modest athletic attributes but outstanding ball skills that make him a projectable NFL prospect. Higgins needs a more limited route tree but can operate on all three levels in the right scheme. He’s smooth but physical in his routes and does a nice job of creating pockets of separation with force and strength. He has mismatch qualities from the slot with body control and a catch radius that make him a menace on jump balls downfield. He won’t outrun cornerbacks and is nothing special after the catch, but his size, ball skills and competitiveness create a profile of production as a future contributor in three-wide sets.

With their second pick in Round 2, the Texans traded up to No. 48 to select Minnesota offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery, sending picks No. 58 and 99 in the deal.

Ersery, a 6'6", 331-pound tackle from Minnesota, was named Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year after a standout college career. A three-year starter at left tackle, Ersery consistently anchored the Gophers’ line and proved his talent by holding his own against top competition, including the top pass rusher in the 2025 Draft, Abdul Carter. Off the field, he's a gamer who enjoys Madden and Call of Duty.

Here's what Zierlein had to say about the Texans' new offensive lineman via NFL.com:

Three-year starter at left tackle with good power. Ersery is not a natural bender, which creates disadvantages with leverage and when attempting to mirror moving fronts. He’s well-versed in Minnesota’s outside zone attack, but might be more consistent in power, inside zone and hat-on-hat matchups. He’s huge, but he sets with good quickness to the rush, using his length and hand strength to gather it or lock it out. His anchor is derived from his upper half, which opens him to hand counters. Ersery has the potential to become an average starting tackle on the right side, but his success will be tied to matchups across from him.

Be sure to watch the video below as the crew from Texans on Tap reacts to the picks live on YouTube!

*ChatGPT assisted.

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