Modest & Mighty Pt. 2: Jason Curry Runs the Play

By: Randy Mason (Newark 2021), Contributor

For nearly three decades, Big Apple Basketball Founder Jason Curry has dedicated his life to helping young people grow on and off the court. Humbly, Jason reflects on his powerful journey of how basketball became a pathway for him to live out his faith and serve others.

“All I have to do is run the play.” –Jason Curry

 

Tell us about your ministry and how you fulfill its mission.

My ministry is lived out through my leadership at Big Apple Basketball. My personal calling and approach to leadership are rooted in my relationship with Christ. I use basketball, mentorship, and relationships as tools to help people grow in character, confidence, and purpose. I aim to reflect God’s love through the way I serve, lead, and show up for others in order to create pathways for opportunity, connection, and transformation beyond the game.

 

Why do you think God has called you to this work? 

I believe God has called me to this work because He has gifted me in this space—as a player, coach, mentor, and connector. He has provided me with relationships, credibility, and access in NYC and beyond, that allow me to reach people I might not otherwise be able to reach. I see this as stewardship of what He’s placed in my hands.

Growing up, there was a man named Gary Cain who invested an extraordinary amount of time mentoring and molding me. After I graduated from college, he actually became one of my closest friends. He passed away when I was 26, but his impact on my life is still very present. He taught me basketball, but more importantly, he taught me life.

I barely remember him spending money on me. But what he gave me—his time, his wisdom, his guidance, and his belief—was far more valuable than anything money could have bought.

He laid the blueprint for how I now interact with and mentor younger people in my own life.

 

 

What do you hope to accomplish while you serve in this capacity?

My goal is to help young people grow on and off the court. Through Big Apple Basketball, I want to support them in their academic, athletic, and professional development. This includes expanding their social networks, providing academic and athletic guidance, exposing them to new opportunities, connecting them with professionals in the game, and helping them access scholarships and other resources.

 

What challenges has your organization faced, and how are you overcoming them?

Our biggest challenges have been financial limitations and a lack of staffing. These challenges have required me to be creative and faith-driven, trusting God while continuing to serve.

In addition to the many requests we receive to support young people and families, we are focusing on a summer engagement program for collegiate student-athletes. This demographic is in need of assistance during the off-season, but there are very few programs designed to support them. We aim to help them continue their development during the summer while also empowering them to become future leaders who invest in community engagement, mentoring, and youth development.

In a perfect world, getting donated gym space would be incredible. The program is structured as an eight-week initiative serving Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx, with two weeks of programming in each borough. Instead of asking one site to host all 24 sessions, we can partner with facilities across the boroughs to host six sessions each.

 

What are you most proud of that the ministry has accomplished?

I’m most proud that the ministry has shifted from being centered on my own ideas to becoming aligned with God’s vision. That shift has given everything I do greater purpose. I see that very clearly in relationships like the one I have with Jaylen Blakes, a 22-year-old recent college graduate and professional basketball player who I’ve known his entire life. In many ways, our story mirrors the one I shared about Gary. Through our shared love of basketball and family, I’ve had the opportunity to mentor Jaylen. What makes our relationship special is that it’s rooted in Christ. I’ve been transparent with him about my faith journey and have encouraged him in his own walk with Christ. I’m proud of the way he has navigated life as a God-fearing single man in the world of collegiate and professional athletics. To see a young person with his kind of discipline in his decision-making is powerful. Just as Gary poured into me, I’m grateful to now invest in someone else.

 

What collaborative opportunities are benefiting this work?

We’ve been blessed by partnerships with like-minded community leaders, schools, churches, coaches, parents, mentors, and local organizations. These collaborations allow us to expand our reach, share resources, and create safe spaces for growth, accountability, and spiritual development across the community.

 

Can you name one learning principle from your DVULI training that is being applied to your work?

One key principle I apply is prioritizing my health, rest, relationship with Christ, and family before ministry. I try to consistently lead from a place of overflow rather than burnout. I don’t want to be a public success but a private failure, so I work to protect healthy boundaries. Recently, I’ve also been focused on budget planning, preparing for potential challenges and opportunities before they arise. This has helped me lead with greater clarity and stability.

 

How can your DVULI family be praying for you as you move forward?

Please pray that I maintain proper balance as God continues to elevate me, that I stay spiritually grounded, and that I remain sensitive to God’s voice. Also, pray that I have the discernment and courage to say no to relationships and opportunities that are not aligned with His will, even if it doesn’t make sense to me.

 

More than a century ago, in 1891, Dr. James Naismith, director of physical education at the YMCA’s International Training School, created the game of basketball with the purpose of “winning men for the Master through the gym.” In 2026, Jason Curry continues that mighty legacy, using Big Apple Basketball as a platform to mentor, uplift, and guide young people through faith, purpose, and the power of the game.

 

Jason’s story is the second in a six-part series highlighting alumni whose modest-sized ministries are making a mighty impact on youth.