I.C. Change Basketball Showcase Inspires Beyond Basketball

TWINSBURG, Ohio– At the annual I.C. Change Basketball Showcase in Twinsburg, Ohio, you’ll find Ian Cunningham–the showcase founder, formerly known as the Kenny Anderson Showcase. He has a passion for helping high school and junior college student-athletes find new opportunities through the game of basketball.

The best part about this opportunity that’s given to 64 athletes from across the country is that it is free. It’s the big showcase for the small schools. College coaches from the NAIA, Division III, NCCAA, USCAA and JUCO levels came to Twinsburg on June 15th for a chance to find their next recruit. A total of 19 college and prep school coaches were in attendance.

Cunningham focused more on helping local Northeast Ohio talent with this year’s event. Even doing so, he still brought in 20 athletes from outside of Northeast Ohio, including another kid from Canada.

“It’s been a passion, I want to give back to society,” Cunningham said. “I’ve always wanted to try and help kids in Northeast Ohio…it’s about giving back and wanting to make a difference.”

The Kyle Jackson Playmaker Award

Many past participants come back annually to check in and be an inspiration for players that are currently fighting for their opportunity. However, this year, there was a two-time participant who was missing. It wasn’t by choice, but by gun violence.

Kyle Jackson was a 2021 graduate of John Hay. He was tragically shot and killed on the morning of August 6th, 2023 after someone fired into a crowd of people following a party in East Cleveland. After graduating with honors from John Hay, Jackson would spend the next two years playing college basketball at Penn State Shenango. Prior to the shooting, he had recently moved back to Cleveland where he attended Cleveland State University and worked for the men’s basketball program as a student assistant.

Kendra Holloway, Jackson’s mom, was emotional attending the showcase for the first time without being able to watch her son.

“I sat in the parking lot and cried for a little while and then I came in and walked around a little bit and cried. It was great too because I’m happy to see it but it was hard,” Holloway explained with a heavy heart. “It’s hard for me to sit in here because I sat in here as a parent and watched him, it just makes me so full today because I know he would’ve been a part of it someway helping here.”

On the trophy table inside Twinsburg Recreation Center were a slew of trophies given to participants of the showcase. There is an MVP award, 2-man shooting challenge award, defensive stopper award and Mr. Hustle award. However, there was one trophy that was different from the others.

A trophy dedicated to the loss of Jackson and it was called the Kyle Jackson Playmaker Award.

“I need to always have his name remembered because he was a two-time participant and he was just a great guy,” Cunningham said with a heavy heart.

“Good heart, good spirit, always smiling and laughing, always an encouraging word for somebody and I don’t think he had an enemy in this world,” Holloway expressed about her son. “All around good person, a good friend and a good son. Doing great things, had a heart for Cleveland and his dream was to be a basketball coach and just mentor kids and have them achieve their dreams and be what he had provided for him along the way.”

She has since grown a special connection with Cunningham that goes beyond the game of basketball. Cunningham– an activities coordinator at Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Center and Holloway–a school principal–share the same vision. They want to leave an impact within society, the youth. They want to make the world a better place. This epitomizes what the I.C. Change Showcase is all about.

“Ian has been a great support, Ian is why I am here. I’m here to support him too because this needs to continue, it’s doing great things and hopefully we can save a lot of people along the way,” Holloway said, trying to hold back tears. “It’s always been to educate kids so they can go to college, well, my mission now as a principal is to save them so they have options.”

The winner of the 2024 Kyle Jackson Playmaker Award was Ginn Academy’s own Tae’Von Walker. The 5-foot-8 point guard was all over the place Saturday afternoon. His speed coupled with his playmaking ability headlined the event. His mindset going into the showcase was to be himself and let the rest take care of itself.

“I just wanted to come out and hoop and compete,” Walker said after the showcase. “I just wanted to come in and compete and try to get my name out there.”

Second Chances

Clarence Wheeler is an athlete who knows what it’s like to be saved by the game of basketball. The 16-year-old previously served time in the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Center. In there is where he would meet Cunningham and start building a relationship with him.

“I was at a dark spot and while I was in there, we were playing basketball and I wasn’t supposed to play but he made sure I played,” Wheler explained on first meeting Cunningham. “I had got in contact with a college coach because of him.”

Thanks to Cunningham’s help, Wheeler earned a brand new opportunity; a second chance in life. At the showcase on June 15th, he had the privilege to play in front of more than 15 college coaches.

Cunningham helped guide him to safer ways, starting with an outlet.

That outlet being the game of basketball.

“I’m very lucky to know him and while I was locked up, he was more of a father figure,” Wheeler said with a smile on his face. “When I saw him today, it all came back.”

For Wheeler, getting a second-chance on the court gives him confidence and thanks to the I.C. Change Showcase, he’s on his way for more exposure moving forward.

“I want to put my name out there and show them that I’m going to be the man of the future,” Wheeler stated when asked what he was trying to prove at the showcase. “And I’m going to stick to that by any means necessary and I’m going to show them. It’s a blessing, it truly is to share it with people that are over me and under me and it’s a show of strength and talent, it’s wonderful.”

“It shows you that if you’re wanting to make a difference, all of the volunteers can make it,” Cunningham added. “We can all change society in our own little circle and that’s the best we can ask for….I wanted to give him the opportunity to be around tons of people and that’s kind of what it was all about.

Moving Forward

During the last five years, the showcase has awarded over 80 scholarships. That number is only set to increase moving forward.

There are so many working pieces for this showcase to continue to impact the lives of student-athletes throughout the country. From Noel Roman- a current recruiting coordinator– and a man who’s been by Cunningham’s side through it all. He helped put together packets that were given out to each participant. In each packet are resources, recruiting tips and ways to network yourself within the basketball community.

On top of that, with Cunningham’s help, they were able to reach out to 1,000 college coaches after the showcase and sent them a link with every player that applied to take part in the showcase, which came out to be more than 200 players throughout the country.

“I want to let the coaches know that every single kid has an opportunity when they go to that showcase,” Cunningham shared. “We’re just trying to get these kids endless exposure.”

Then there is former NBA player William Henry “Smush” Parker. He was there to share personal stories, connecting with each player and to pass down words of wisdom. He’s been with Cunningham since the first year and never takes his words and presence for granted.

“He really makes a huge impact, the way he speaks to these kids and gives back,” Cunningham said. “He sees the vision…He really understands what it is all about.”

Before anything else, all players at the showcase are put through a series of stretches and drills put together by Rollie Smith and Tom Parker Jr. They bring a wealth of knowledge as the head trainers at Push Thru Athletics and coaches on two of the top teams throughout Cleveland in their respected divisions: Villa Angela-St. Joseph and St. Ignatius.

The referees that volunteer their time to call games during the event are all with the Fellowship of Christian Officials. With three referees per court and more on stand-by, they’re another reason why the event is so much bigger than just the product on the court.

The I.C. Change Showcase is so much more than just a one-day event. It’s about cultivating relationships. 

It’s about coming together as one and making a difference. 

It’s about giving back.

“This is a team, we’re family now and we’re locked in forever,” Holloway explained about her relationship with Cunningham. “We have a mission….we’re just trying to do things to help them have the best life ever.”