John Stockton isn't done assisting basketball players. They're just a little younger than they were in his NBA days.

The retired Utah Jazz point guard is in Honolulu for the three-day Basketball Essential Skills Camp, which began yesterday at Manoa Valley District Park.

About 50 Hawai'i youths, ranging in age from 10 to 18, participated on the first day. Stockton and 13 other instructors walked the campers through a variety of drills designed to improve fundamentals and technique.

Stockton believes that by regularly practicing footwork drills, players begin to understand the game's intangibles better and become more "cerebral" players.

"Once you do that, then your creativity flows and you're not a robot anymore," said Stockton, 43, who played 19 seasons in the NBA. "That's what we're trying to get at."

Most of the kids seemed excited when Stockton walked between their dribbling drill lines to offer support or feedback — even though the youngest would have been only 7 or 8 when he retired two years ago.

THE BEST GET BETTER

State basketball champions and Advertiser Players of the Year Kyle Pape and Shanna-Lei Dacanay were there to tune up their games for the upcoming college season in the fall.

Pape, a 2005 Iolani School graduate, will likely be a backcourt player when he attends the Colorado School of Mines. For him, the value was in the camp's tips for guards.

And considering Stockton is the all time league-leader in assists and steals, he may know a thing or two.

"It's a good opportunity," Pape said. "(Stockton) was teaching us a point guard's needs: court vision, balance, the way you play, and (told us) always to compete."

Dacanay, a 2005 Punahou School graduate, was more than happy to be in Stockton's company. She said she appreciated the player-to-coach ratio of about four-to-one.

"They can really focus in on each one of us," said Dacanay, who is heading to Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. "They watch everything we do, and can stop to analyze (us). It's (improving) a lot of the little things, like the detail in pivots."

The 5-foot-3 point guard can relate to Stockton's reputation for making big plays despite having a height disadvantage most of the time. Stockton stands about 6 feet, and usually was a few inches shorter than his competition.

"I got a chance to talk to John — he's my idol," Dacanay said with a smile. "It was an honor."

She was congratulated by the camp's head coach, Kerry Pickett, and his assistants when she won a dribbling skills challenge against some of the camp's better ball-handlers.

"(The teachers are) basketball junkies, top to bottom," Stockton said. "They're trying to make you feel the game rather than, 'go here, go here, do what you're told.' "

Each coach took his or her quota of campers aside to different stations to work on various drills, starting at 8 a.m. The kids were broken up into groups based on age and general ability. By the end of the day's events around noon, Stockton demonstrated free throw shooting techniques.

MEETING THEIR NEEDS

According to Stockton, teaching campers in Hawai'i was different, but added that each camp offers unique challenges no matter where it's located.

"There's some players ahead of others," he said. "You try to make sure you get to each of their needs, whatever (skill) level they're at."

Receiving a handshake and autograph from Stockton were Tim Fountain's favorite memories of the first day.

"It was exciting (to meet him) because he's like an NBA star, so it was really cool," said Fountain, 13. "He had good balance and he always would make the shots that he wanted."

Pape was surprised that there weren't more kids in attendance.

"(The coaches) seemed to be friendly people, but they like to push you to do your best," he said. "It's things like these where (NBA players) give back to the community where it helps the young kids."

Pape recalled Stockton as being "so competitive on the court, but he's just a nice friendly guy off (of it)."

In other words, Stockton is the ideal guest instructor for a camp like this one.

"There's a lot of promising kids here, and whether it's basketball or not, who cares?" Stockton said. "They're learning, they're buying into it instantly and with enthusiasm, and it's been a pleasure working with them."

Chalk up yet another assist to the future Hall of Famer.

Note: Enrollment is still open for the final two days of the camp at a reduction of the original $325 fee. For more information, call 780-1089.