OLIVE BRANCH — K.J. Wright didn’t shoulder much of the scoring load in Friday night’s charity basketball game at Olive Branch High School.
Then again, Wright has always preferred the other side of the ball.
“I’m a defensive guy, rebounder and dunks,” the former Mississippi State linebacker said before the exhibition contest. “That’s my specialty.”
In front of a jam-packed crowd in his former high school gym, Wright put those first two skills — although not the third — on display.
But basketball skill wasn’t the point of a night dedicated to benefit Wright’s alma mater. The first annual K.J. Wright Alumni Charity Basketball game sold 1,000 tickets online and more at the door, with all proceeds from the $10 passes going to Olive Branch athletics.
“Sports are important,” Wright said. “It’s just a cool way to get kids out of the house, off social media, just doing something they can build with their teammates and stay in shape. Of course, it’s something that helped me get to where I am today, and that’s why I’m just trying to give back to these kids.”
A three-sport athlete in basketball, football and track at Olive Branch, Wright has spent the past 11 seasons in the NFL. He won Super Bowl 48 with Seattle and spent 10 years with the Seahawks before playing for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021.
Now a free agent, Wright has made it clear: Either Seattle brings him back, or his NFL career is over.
“For me to go there as a rookie and play there for 10 years is pretty, pretty special,” Wright said. “They mean so much to me. I want to retire a Seahawk when it’s all said and done.”
He’s one of several current NFL standouts to come out of Mississippi State, joining Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox and more.
Wright played at MSU from 2007 to 2010, serving as a regular starter for his final three seasons.
“I had a fantastic time there,” Wright said of his time in Starkville. “I played under Coach (Sylvester) Croom and Dan Mullen, so I got two night and day human beings as my head coach. It was really fun.”
Seattle took Wright with its fourth-round pick in the 2011 NFL draft, and the linebacker proved his worth. He became a starter as a rookie and kept the position until leaving the Seahawks after the 2020 campaign.
Wright recently crossed paths with another Mississippi State Bulldog headed to the Emerald City, meeting left tackle and 2022 first-round pick Charles Cross. Wright sung the praises of the Seahawks’ organization and said Cross can be a “cornerstone” of the team’s rebuild.
“This is the perfect place for you to be,” Wright told Cross.
For a rookie like Cross, players like Wright can be role models just like Wright had during his high school days. He credited event co-organizers Erica Kelsey and Cherri Colston Ranz with helping track down past Olive Branch stars like Justin Neely, Ronnie Black, Nate Nash and Everick Morris.
“This is the first time we’ve all gotten together,” Wright said.
They combined for a fast-paced game of considerable length. An hourlong halftime ceremony featuring 3-point shooting contests, a short speech by Olive Branch mayor Ken Adams in Wright’s honor, jersey retirements and more provided a nice break in a game consisting of 12-minute quarters — the same length as an NBA contest.
Apparently, that’s how Wright and his fellow competitors wanted it.
“I’ve been practicing,” Wright said before the game. “I’m not going to come out here and embarrass myself. I came out here to get all the way ready to put on a show for these people.”
As the captain of the White team — Neely led the Blue squad — Wright led his team to victory. A 30-all contest at the half swung toward Wright’s unit after a big third-quarter sequence featuring a nice block at one end and a key 3-pointer on the other. There was only one made dunk all game — the Blue team was responsible — but White came out with a 72-61 victory.
Of course, the score wasn’t the point. A full house in the stands cheering every basket was a reminder of why Friday’s event was a success.
“I’m just so thankful that the city’s coming out — a sold-out event to support the community and support the sports teams,” Wright said.
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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