It began with faith, a basketball, and a commitment to show up.
A vision that became home
The Development Academy began in 2016 with a vision inspired by God and placed on the heart of Coach Charles Lewis. He believed basketball could be used for more than teaching the game. It could reach young people, build relationships, provide guidance, and strengthen the community.
That vision first took shape through an after school basketball program in South Jackson. What began as an opportunity for young people to play and develop their skills soon became something much greater, creating the foundation for the daily ministry that would grow inside the Hot Box.
The Hot Box: More than a gym
The after school program grew inside a small gym with no air conditioning. The heat earned it the nickname “The Hot Box,” but it never stopped young people from showing up.
Friday Night Hoops became one of the program’s largest gatherings. On Friday nights, more than 100 young men and women could fill the gym to play basketball, fellowship, eat, and spend time in a positive environment. The gym was hot and crowded, but it became a place where young people felt welcomed, supported, and connected.
Coach Charles and Coach Denzel used the game to build relationships with the young people who entered the gym. They coached, trained, listened, held athletes accountable, and encouraged them to become better people.
As those relationships grew, the players also became more disciplined, confident, and committed to developing their game.
Many of the young people who came to the gym on Friday nights continued training and competing with TDA and the original TDA Hoops boys program. Several eventually advanced to play basketball at the collegiate and professional levels.
The Hot Box became a community where athletes, coaches, mentors, and families remained connected. It established the belief that continues to guide TDA today: developing better people creates better players, stronger leaders, and more confident young adults.
Friday Night Hoops
Friday Night Hoops brought the Hot Box to life, giving young people a place to compete, connect, eat, and enjoy themselves in a positive environment. In 2022, 16 WAPT News featured the program and its impact on teenagers throughout the Jackson community.
Building a home for the community
The impact of the Hot Box eventually grew beyond what one gym could hold. The need was not simply for a larger court. It was for a community hub where more athletes could train, teams could compete, programs could grow, and families could gather.
That next chapter became The Ark, where Coach Charles serves as a cofounder. Before the facility became what the community sees today, there were goals to assemble, courts to prepare, and programs to build. The same commitment that filled the Hot Box continued through the work of creating a new home for the vision.
The Ark gave TDA the space to expand, but the purpose remained unchanged. We continue to use basketball to build relationships, develop young people, and create opportunities that extend beyond the game.
Growing the vision
The vision that began in the Hot Box continues today through TDA Hoops and the Rising Stars Youth Basketball League. Together, these programs allow us to serve athletes at different stages while remaining committed to developing better people, creating meaningful opportunities, and strengthening our community.
TDA Hoops provides girls with year round development, competitive team opportunities, and preparation for the next level. Through its partnership with the Jr. 3SSB Adidas Basketball Circuit, the program gives athletes access to strong competition, greater exposure, and opportunities to grow on a larger stage.
The Rising Stars Youth Basketball League gives young athletes a positive introduction to organized basketball. Over the past three years, the league has steadily expanded while helping participants develop fundamentals, confidence, teamwork, discipline, and sportsmanship.
Our programs have grown, but so has the need for support. Donations help us provide equipment, secure facility access, support qualified coaches, expand programming, and reduce financial barriers for families. Volunteers and community partners help us reach more athletes and strengthen the experience we provide.
Supporting The Development Academy means investing in more than basketball. It means helping provide mentorship, structure, confidence, leadership, and a place for young people to belong. The setting has changed since the days of the Hot Box, but the purpose remains the same.
Better People. Better Players.