Area youth will have an opportunity to meet and pick up some tips from Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Scott Brooks in two weeks.

The Lathrop native and former East Union High basketball star has committed to serve as a special guest coach on the final day of the Manteca Unified School District Basketball Camp June 24 at Lathrop High.

It will be a busy week for the 2009-2010 NBA Coach of the Year.

The NBA Draft is on Thursday, June 23, and two days later he will attend a special dinner in his honor at the renamed Lathrop Community Center Gym — now the Scott Brooks Gym per a unanimous vote by City Council last September.

“Trying to get a hold of Scott wasn’t the easiest thing to do, obviously,” said Lathrop athletic director Bill Slikker, who was an instructor when Brooks held a summer camp at East Union in 2002-04.

“This is something that’s been in the works for a while. After the community gym was named after him, he really wanted to give back to the community.”

Slikker added that he hopes this can be an annual event that includes Brooks.

The five-day MUSD Camp begins June 20. Coaches from Manteca Unified basketball programs will provide instruction. The tuition fee is $75 per camper and will increase to $100 after June 17.

There will be two separate sessions broken up by age groups: Girls and boys ages 8-12 years will go from 9 a.m. to noon, and 13-18-year-olds from 1-4 p.m.

It will be Brooks’ show on June 24 from 2-5 p.m. On top of receiving instruction from an 11-year NBA player, campers will get a t-shirt and lunch on the final day.

Slikker is working with the Lathrop Lions Club to put the clinic together. The Lathrop Lions are also conducting the dedication dinner at Scott Brooks Gym.

Slikker said money earned from the camp will be split with the Lathrop Lions and other Manteca Unified programs involved.

“I figured this was something that could benefit all Manteca Unified schools, not just Lathrop High,” Slikker said.

To register, e-mail Slikker at bslikker@musd.net, or Lathrop varsity boys head coach J.J. Ramirez at jjramirez@musd.net. Slikker may also be reached by phone at (209) 629-5397.