By Mallory Mattingly
Orlando Magic point guard Cole Anthony took his talents from the basketball court to the pages of his new children’s book, “Count Yourself In: The Big Tryout.”
The Big Tryout “is all about inspiring our young readers to embrace the power of self-belief, confidence, and resilience. ‘We believe that every kid has the potential to be a star, and we can’t wait for them to join us on this journey!'” Anthony shared on Instagram in a joint post with CYISOON and Bryce Council, his partners on the project.
CYISOON is an organization that reaches out “to all of the people with a chip on their shoulder in this world. The goal is to motivate and inspire everybody from our youth to our leaders of the world. Motivation leads to hard work and hard work gives us the best chance for results in our favor. When no one else believes in you just make sure you #CYISOON – COUNT YOURSELF IN AND MAKE SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING.”
Anthony’s post continued: “We want to empower the next generation and help them realize that with hard work and determination, they can achieve anything they set their minds to!”
With every book sale, 10 percent of the proceeds will go directly to the 50 Ways Foundation, an organization founded by Anthony that works to empower young people by “by providing mentorship, new experiences, and resources that can create different opportunities for them to be successful.”
The foundation will host the “50 Ways to 300” event which will be a “bowling fundraiser to benefit Orlando youth in need.”
“Last year, over $20,000 was contributed to local organizations on the front lines of helping and mentoring local children in the Orlando area,” a post on social media read.
Related: Orlando Magic Guard Leans on God’s ‘Love’ for Epic Second-Half Comeback
Regarding his work with the Magic, Cole Anthony has missed the last several games due to a toe injury. He hopes to return to the court soon.
“We’re at a pretty good spot right now, so hopefully back on the court soon — very soon, hopefully,” he told the media after the Magic’s game on Saturday.
Anthony tried to play on his toe for a while, but “that didn’t help.”
“It was one of those injuries where I didn’t really fully start healing until I fully got off of it. From that point on, it started the healing process. So I’ve just been taking my time, trying not to rush it because there’s just no need,” he continued.
“I don’t want to come back — I already tried to come back once and it was premature — I don’t want to do that again,” Anthony added. “So, [I’m] getting it fully right, and [I’ll] be back on that court soon.”
With the amount of time Anthony has had off, he has been able to work on other projects, like the children’s book and his non-profit organization.
Read Next: Orlando Magic’s Jonathan Isaac: ‘Christ’s Love’ Is the Answer
- Content: +1Share:
- Content: +1