Homecourt Heroes: Celebrity Basketball Game – Where Legends Play for Mental Health!

Mental Health Association

Homecourt Heroes is bringing big-time basketball and celebrity excitement to town on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at Gates Chili High School! This action-packed game features former NBA, WNBA, NFL, and MLB stars, local legends, and special guests—all coming together for an epic showdown in support of the Mental Health Association of Rochester.

Date: Saturday, May 3, 2025
Location: Gates Chili High School
Game Time: 7:00 PM (Doors Open at 6:00 PM to the General Public)
Tickets: General Admission – $15, Floor Seats – $40, VIP (Includes VIP Seating and Pre-Game Meet & Greet at 5:30 PM) – $60

Event Highlights:

Get ready for an unforgettable night at Homecourt Heroes, featuring an all-star lineup of athletes, entertainers, and mental health advocates!

Team Blue, led by John Wallace (Greece Athena grad, Syracuse University standout, and former NBA player), will take on Team Red, captained by Tim Redding (Churchville-Chili graduate and former MLB pitcher).

Joining the action are basketball legends like Jumaine Jones (former NBA player and mental health advocate), Shenise Johnson (Rush Henrietta alum, former WNBA player), and Joe Smith (Former 1st pick in the 1996 NBA Draft). Also hitting the court are Brandon Caruthers and John Ivy (East High grads, co-CEOs of Hoop & Motivate), Emma Cannon (School of the Arts alum, former WNBA player), Bria Jackson (Rush Henrietta alum and former collegiate basketball player), football stars Vernon Davis (NFL Hall of Fame nominee and former NFL tight end), Moe Jackson (Marshall alum and former Buffalo Bill), and Felix Joyner (former NFL player and owner of the Rochester Kings Arena Football Team), along with MLB  player Greg Cullen (McQuaid grad).

Also suiting up for the game are comedians Jessimae Peluso (MTV’s Girl Code and Netflix’s Tattoo Redo and Surviving Paradise), Dario Joseph, and Meghan Rose, along with News 8 Sports Director Thad Brown and professional bodybuilder George Farah, who has worked with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

With surprise celebrity appearances, exciting gameplay, and an important cause, this is one event you won’t want to miss!

Click HERE to purchase tickets now!

A Weekend for Wellbeing: A Collaboration for Mental Health

The Mental Health Association of Rochester and Premier Talent Relations are excited to collaborate on A Weekend for Wellbeing, a transformative two-day event that blends MHA’s dedication to providing mental health services with Premier Talent Relations’ passion for creating unforgettable experiences. Led by Joe Lynch, whose personal connection to mental health drives this mission, this partnership aims to raise both awareness and vital funding for mental health resources.

Join us for a weekend of comedy, a youth basketball clinic, and a celebrity basketball game, all designed to celebrate mental health, community, and connection. Together, we’ll raise awareness and funds to support the essential services provided by the Mental Health Association of Rochester.

Sponsorship & Special Thanks

A special thank you to Stern Properties, iHeartMedia, Canandaigua National Bank, Spark Content, BIPOC Peeeeeek, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, and Trillium Health for their generous sponsorship and support of Homecourt Heroes and A Weekend for Wellbeing. Their commitment to mental health initiatives helps us provide vital programs and resources to our community.

Logo for Stern Properties featuring the name in bold colors with a house outline above. Tagline reads "owner-developer."        Logo of iHeartMedia featuring a heart symbol with sound waves and the text "iHeart Media" in bold.        Logo of Canandaigua National Bank & Trust featuring a stylized "C" and "B" in white on a red oval background, with the bank's name in brown.       Logo featuring the word "spark" in a playful font, with "CONTENT" below it, accented by light blue sparkles and curves.             

Sponsorship opportunities are still available! If you’re interested in supporting this impactful weekend, please contact ctrawitz@mharochester.org for more information.