A Black Delaware state trooper’s act of kindness is going viral after he gifted his biggest “hype man” a fresh pair of Stephen Curry sneakers.
Trooper Joshua Morris posted a video last week to his Instagram, which has now been viewed over 85,000 times, showing him playing basketball in Wilmington with local children. Behind the camera, a boy can be heard hyping up the officer saying, “That’s Curry, that’s Curry,” referencing the Golden State Warriors star player.
"I’m in it for the right reason ????. #GodsWork . Lil man is the best hype man ever. “Oh that’s curry…that’s curry”????????????" the caption of Morris' video stated.
Morris, who recently joined the Delaware State Police Department then took it upon himself to reward 9-year-old Ra’kir "Rocky" Allen, the voice responsible for cheering him on.
"His charisma, his character, his just natural, organic joyness about him…I just loved him," Morris told 6ABC. "That reeks through his pores. I loved it."
In a heartwarming follow-up video, Morris granted the fourth-grader a new pair of Steph Curry kicks, along with $50 stuffed inside one of the sneakers.
“My video is going viral because of you, you know that right? You is the man, everybody is talking about how you is the man, the best hype man ever. You’re the reason my video went viral. So I wanted to gift you with something. Do you remember when I hit the jump shot and turn around? ‘Curry.’ Since you was my hype man, I’m going to be your hype man right now,” Morris said in the video.
"I thought it was so beautiful to see the reaction on his face, Allen’s mother, Elveria Griffin, said about the exchange.
While Morris is clearly a menace on the court, he said that playing basketball with the kids is about more than what meets the eye.
"Sports is the greatest common ground, where everybody just wants to win," Morris told WDEL. "So you bring everybody to that common ground. It breaks that barrier. It lets you see the person for who they are, and from there you build the relationship. So when Rocky sees me, he doesn't see a trooper, he sees Josh in uniform."
“When he laces up those sneakers he has someone to believe in him," he said.
Allen shared that while his favorite basketball player is James Harden, Trooper Morris is his real idol.
"He’s nice, he’s kind, and he like playing basketball with me," Allen gushed about his role model.
Morris, who is all about cultivating relationships on and off the court received his master’s degree in education, so he has a natural affinity for kids.
In his speech to the 9-year-old, Morris reassured him that he is someone Allen can always look up to.
“Anytime you see me, just know it’s always love, alright? I always got your back no matter what.”
