‘Dream Big’: How Former Jayhawk Wayne Selden Jr. is Giving Back to the Boston Community

Former Kansas basketball guard Wayne Selden Jr. is known for making moves on the court.

He helped KU win three consecutive Big 12 titles during his three years in Lawrence (2013-16) and provided several highlight-reel plays along the way, including his famous posterizing dunk over Baylor’s Ishmail Wainright in the 2016 Big 12 Tournament.

He has since enjoyed a successful pro career thus far, spending four years in the NBA and five years playing internationally – winning the 2021 FIBA Europe Cup with Ironi Ness Ziona in Israel.

Now, the Roxbury native (Boston neighborhood) is beginning to make moves off the court through the foundation he has established in his hometown.

What started as a basketball camp for local youth in 2019, has now turned into a bigger initiative to help kids prosper through the Wayne Selden Jr. (WSJ) Crossover Foundation.

It was an inspiration that came through a history of giving throughout the Selden family.

“My mom and grandfather work in human services, and my grandfather has put together food drives and clothing drives ever since I was a kid,” Selden said. “Giving back has always come natural to me, and now I’m trying to take what I learned and grow it through our foundation.”

The WSJ Crossover Foundation recently hosted a coat drive in October where they gave away more than 250 coats and provided free haircuts, face painting, and pumpkin painting to kids of all ages.

The foundation has also hosted six annual basketball camps to date which are free to kids in Boston ages 18 and under.

This summer’s camp was the biggest one yet as nearly 400 kids participated to receive basketball tips, food, prizes, and more. Former Jayhawk great Devonte Graham even helped out as a volunteer this year.

Although basketball is often the outlet, Selden says the goal of the foundation is to help kids grow and prepare for life off the court.

“Our three things that we want to provide are resources, experiences, and opportunities,” said Selden. “I had basketball as a way out, but not all kids do. We want to bridge gaps and give them the opportunity to grow. Most importantly, we want to let these kids know that they can dream big and their dreams are attainable.”

The foundation currently only operates in Boston, but Selden is hoping to expand the reach of the organization in the future – perhaps even in Lawrence, where Selden’s time at KU helped encourage him to give back.

“The holiday shopping we would do for kids as a team each year was definitely one of the inspirations for me and what we do now,” Selden said. “And I would love to expand the foundation to Lawrence one day. I want to help the communities that helped me, and Lawrence played a big part in raising me and my brother (Lawrence High School ’18).”

Kansas fans looking to help the WSJ Crossover Foundation in their efforts can volunteer for events or donate directly to the organization by visiting wsjcrossover.org or contacting wayne@wsjcrossover.org.

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