Reggie Evans reflects on fatherhood as he gives back

Reggie Evans will have a busy couple of weeks at the end of the month, doing charity work for his own charity ... and helping out Andray Blatche with his. On June 28-29, he will be in Jamaica for a celebrity sports camp that Blatche helps organize for the RuJohn Foundation, which brings those of Jamaican heritage home. On July 13, he'll be hosting his first-ever charity softball game at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium, benefiting his hometown and foundation. Blatche and MarShon Brooks will return the favor and participate along with the Heat's Rashard Lewis, the Bucks' Marquis Daniels and the Cavaliers Marreese Speights.

In a late Father's Day posting, Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York writes about how all of that, plus his annual post-season barbecue in his hometown of Pensacola, is driven by Evans' recollection of a tough childhood, when his father, Reginald, was mostly imprisoned.

"My mom pretty much raised me," he told Zwerling. "My daddy sold drugs and he was in and out of jail, and stuff like that. It was kind of rough. I'm just basically trying to give back to the least fortunate who don't really have nothing in life in terms of trying to succeed in life. ... As long as I'm keeping kids level-headed and just instilling hope and faith in them, I know they can make it."

• Relationship with father fuels Reggie Evans' work - Jared Zwerling - ESPN New York