Ex-Cat Julius Randle hosting basketball camp in Lexington next week

Former Kentucky basketball standout Julius Randle returns to Lexington next week to play host to a three-day camp for children. The camp, which is for boys and girls ages 5 to 14, will be Monday through Wednesday at the Kentucky Basketball Academy.

"It's an opportunity to give back to the youth," Randle said Thursday. "I always enjoy working with the youth. It's a great way to interact."

Randle stressed that the camp is not all fun and games. He wants the campers to learn the basic fundamentals of basketball.

"That's the main thing for me," he said. "(Learn) how to play basketball. It's not just one on one, but how to play with each other."

The cost of the camp is $249. Camp promotion touts "18 hours of elite instruction," plus autograph and photo opportunities with Randle.

When asked to explain the elite instruction, Randle said, "Basically, everything I do, I want it to be authentic."

Andrew Thomas, who is Randle's marketing agent, said the former UK star did not want the camp to be "just a day care." Randle wants the campers to gain a better understanding of how to play basketball.

Randle, who led UK to the 2014 Final Four, hopes to stage a similar camp in Los Angeles in early August, said Art Lowe, who runs the Ohio-based International Sporting Group. Randle was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the seventh pick of the 2014 NBA Draft. He broke his leg in a game in late October and missed the rest of the season.

About 45 to 50 spots remain available for the camp at KBA, Lowe said.

More information can be obtained by calling KBA at 859-219-9272 or by going to the website isgcamps.com/Julius-randle.

This story was originally published June 11, 2015 at 6:43 PM with the headline "Ex-Cat Julius Randle hosting basketball camp in Lexington next week."