ROCKINGHAM — Shoes are often a defining element of high school basketball teams, and the Richmond Senior High School boys basketball team will carry a little extra Raider Magic on its shoes this winter.
Head coach Donald Pettigrew, the Raider basketball program and the Richmond athletics community are still mourning the loss of former player Jalen David. A junior guard, David passed away unexpectedly in August.
To honor his memory, and keep David’s contagious smile and jovial spirit alive, the Raiders are dedicating the 2021 season to their fallen teammate. Richmond unveiled the team’s new basketball shoe on Tuesday, which is emblazoned with the No. 22 on the side, David’s number.
The custom Nikes, which are part of the Paul George collection, are primarily white with a green No. 22 on the outside of the right shoe. The insides of both shoes have yellow netting, with a yellow Nike logo on the outside of the left shoe.
“Jalen was a big part of our program and what we’ve been trying to build,” Pettigrew said. “He’s been with us since he was in ninth grade, and his fingerprint is all over our program.
“We wanted to honor him and this was one way we thought was right,” he continued. “Jalen was a varsity player and our guys still care about him and want to keep his name alive. We all just want to honor him as much as possible.”
The shoes aren’t the only way the Raiders hope to remember David, as Pettigrew said game day socks with David’s picture on them are in the works. The idea came from senior point guard Patrick McLaughlin’s family, who also recently lost a sibling.
“My reaction was priceless,” McLaughlin said of seeing the shoes for the first time. “None of this still seems real, it all seems like a dream. For us to be able to put his number on the shoes is just a special feeling.
“It’s important to keep his memory alive because he was an important factor to the team,” he added. “Jalen was a great teammate and I never saw him with a frown on his face. He was always smiling. It’s nothing but right to always keep his memory with us.”
David’s spirit lives on in the Raiders’ locker room where a poster of him is displayed. Pettigrew said the program plans to have David’s name put on the wall in the school’s gymnasium to serve as a reminder to fans and students of the teammate they lost.
“The support from our parents and the community has been great,” Pettigrew said. “Everyone has been amazing in the process to help our coaches and players and Jalen’s family move forward past the grieving stage.
“We’re still having a hard time and we talk about him every day,” Pettigrew added. “The guys really loved the shoes and said they were ‘fire.’ I love the No. 22 on them. It’s something different to remember him by.”
The Raiders have also added David’s name into their pre and post-game huddles. The new chant starts “1-2-3 Raiders,” followed by “4-5-6 family” and closes with “7-8-9 Jalen.”
Richmond will close out the regular season of the 9 Dime Fall League on Tuesday. Tied with Westside (Westover High School) for the league lead with a 4-1 record, Richmond holds the tiebreaker. Tip against New Life Christian Academy is set for 6 p.m. in Fayetteville.
