One Team, One Dream: How a nonprofit is transforming basketball in Jamaica with help from NBA star Deandre Ayton

In Jamaica, a nonprofit organization is revolutionizing basketball through the PMBL Youth Basketball Camp, which operates under the "one team, one dream" motto. The camp, now in its twelfth year, has made a significant impact by teaching the sport to over 1,500 children annually, providing them with essential gear such as shoes, shirts, backpacks, hygiene products, and school supplies.

The camp's foundation, established in 2013 by Jake Kind, Ben Kay, James Schluchter, and Zack Schwartz, has grown exponentially, thanks to the support of U.S. volunteer coaches and island natives. This year, the camp has received a boost from the NBA's Deandre Ayton through his partnership with the Ayton Family Foundation (AFF), which focuses on youth initiatives in Los Angeles, The Bahamas, and Jamaica, with an emphasis on nutrition and his mother's belief that "feeding people is love."

The partnership has enabled the camp to provide transportation for campers from areas most affected by Hurricane Melissa in 2025, such as Parrottee, Galleon, and Black River. Camp founder Jake Kind attributes the camp's success to its resilience in the face of adversity, emphasizing the importance of resilience to the campers, many of whom lost their homes in Hurricane Melissa or Hurricane Beryl.