<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'></p><h3 class="dateline">GASTONIA --</h3>Before Jason Richardson walks into Forest Hills Elementary on Thursday, the Charlotte Bobcats ask if he wants a script. You tell me if he needs a script.</p> He slows for the camera that films his entrance, and then speeds up, and then slows, and then walks crazy and makes faces.</p> He enters the library, where the team has created a reading corner, donating books and shelves, painting the walls and putting up cardboard likenesses of players with quotes from them about how cool it is to read.</p> Before the program begins, Richardson sees two kids in Bobcats gear and asks them their favorite teams. When it's the turn of kindergartner Willie Davis to answer, he says, "Ice cream!"</p> Richardson gives Willie a high five. In that Richardson is 6-foot-6 and Willie operates closer to the carpet, negotiation is required. But Richardson makes it work.</p> Richardson makes everything work Thursday. He sits on a chair at the front of the library and talks to kindergartners and first-graders, and then second- and third-graders, and then fourth- and fifth-graders.</p> When he's not talking, he's smiling, and he sustains the smile for more than an hour. Between sessions, he waves to this kid, tells a joke to that one, asks them about books, signs an autograph, returns individual and group hugs and, after watching a kid dance with team mascot Rufus, gets up and joins them.</p> Here's why this is important.</p> The Charlotte locker room might be crammed with compelling personalities, but most nights I couldn't find them with a divining rod.</p> It's tough to cheer for uniforms.</p> The Bobcats have to give Charlotte a reason to care.</div></p> Source: Charlotte Observer </p> </p>
