"I was six-foot-four when I was 12 years old, and very athletic," he said, as though that explained everything.

It did, especially to us frustrated jocks who had to beg and be on our best behavior for months to ensure that our aunt would come up with the money for us to attend the Carolina Cougars basketball camp for one week. You see, being blessed with the right skills and physiognomy -- which I wasn't -- means doors are opened to you for free that others have to scrimp and save to go through.

"I've been running camps with my high school coach since I was 12. ... He usually paid us in Nike shoes and T-shirts. He was getting over on us," James laughed.

The talent of James and his best friend, Chris Carrawell, got them both scholarships to play basketball for Duke University. James will be an assistant coach this season, and Carrawell will be a graduate assistant coach.

Despite their success, though, both are trying to make it possible for others to attend the camp they've been running together for the past two years.

Beginning July 14, there'll be three one-week sessions at Durham Academy. The camp is open to boys and girls ages six to 17.

"It is an avenue for us to be able to give back to our community, since we both still live here," James said.

The way James sees it, the kids aren't the only ones who'll benefit from the camp. So, he said, will the Duke players who'll help him and Carrawell run it.

"I want to be able to bring in current Duke girls and boys basketball players and have them exposed to kids who won't be able to come to Duke games, and the kids will get to meet their heroes," he said.

Even if you, like me, hate Duke's basketball team and its perennial success, you have to admit that they are indeed heroes.

Despite my best efforts, my son grew up a Duke fan. Once, while we were leaving Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke player Steve Wojciechowski walked past my then 10- or 11-year-old son and said, "Hey buddy. How ya' doin'?"

The kid was on a cloud for days. And I, a lifelong Tar Heel fan, could only shake my head and wonder, "Where did I go wrong?"

The cost of the camp is $200 a week, which, James acknowledged, could be a lot for some families. "We've dropped the price each year to make it more affordable," he said, "but I know some people will still have a hard time" with that.

That's why he and Carrawell are trying to enlist the aid of local businesses to help send some Durham kids -- "outstanding students" recommended by local rec programs and boys-and-girls clubs, he stressed -- to camp.

"I can't be involved in the scholarships and donations this year because I'm coaching at Duke," he said, citing NCAA regulations.

I hope Durham's business community and residents get behind this effort because, as much as I hate Duke's basketball team, I admit that there are far worse ways for kids to spend a week this summer than being instructed by its players and former players.

If you want to help some deserving kids, you can contact the camp online at natejameschriscarrawellbasketballcamp.com.

To make a tax-deductible donation, you can make checks payable to The Nate James -- Chris Carrawell Basketball Camp Foundation, P.O. Box 50107, Raleigh, NC 27650.