Thirteen students from Texans Can Academy - Fort Worth Lancaster Avenue attended a Dallas Mavericks game on February 27, 2019 against the Indiana Pacers. The basketball game followed a visit from Rolando Blackman, a retired NBA player who spent most of this career playing with the Dallas Mavericks from 1981 to 1992, to the students’ school.

Rolando spoke to the students at Texans Can Academy - Fort Worth Lancaster Avenue and discussed his background and the importance of staying focused on what they want to do in life because they are responsible for working toward and earning their own success. Rolando is one of only two players in Dallas Mavericks history to have his number retired. He is a four-time NBA All-Star and ranked second as the Dallas Mavericks’ all-time leading scorer with 16,643 points, behind Dirk Nowitzki. The students were inspired after his visit and interested in his story and hearing how hard he worked to get where he is. Rolando is currently the Director of Player Development for the Dallas Mavericks.

“We are grateful Rolando Blackman took time out of his day to speak with our students about hard work and staying focused in life,” said Texans Can Academy – Fort Worth Lancaster Avenue ACE Coordinator, Candice Jones. “Our students were intrigued with what he had to say and were excited to meet him.”

Texans Can Academies strives to be a value-added organization and is dedicated to ensuring students have all the skills and options needed for a successful college or career path after graduation. Texans Can Academies graduate thinkers and offer students, aged 14 to 21, who have struggled in a traditional high school setting a second chance at earning their high school diploma instead of a General Education Development (GED). Texans Can Academies are a unique network of 14 charter schools located in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio. The schools are tuition-free, open enrollment, public high schools of choice serving students who have struggles in a traditional high school setting. For more information, please visit www.texanscan.org.