ABC-7 travels to Tucson to profile El Paso native KJ Lewis’ charity work while leading #9 UofA

TUCSON (KVIA) -Former Chapin High School standout KJ Lewis has gone done in El Paso history as one of the best players to ever suit up here in the borderland.

KJ Lewis has been dazzling crowds in Southern Arizona for the last two years, and he's also making a name for himself nationwide as a star guard for college basketball powerhouse The University of Arizona, who's ranked 9th in the latest AP Poll.

In a special road edition of "People, Places & Paul", ABC-7 Anchor Paul Cicala traveled to Tucson, AZ to catch up with KJ Lewis and see first-hand how the proud El Paso native continues to give back to the community. - In this particular case, as a volunteer chef at the "Cooking With the Stars" charity event to raise money for Easter Seals Blake Foundation.  

KJ Lewis is also making a name for himself in the community of Tucson, as he continues to volunteer and give back to this border southwest city that has many similarities to his hometown of El Paso.  

 "It's something that I've been inspired to do if I was fortunate enough to be in this position, now, and since I was a little kid," said KJ Lewis.

At El Paso's Chapin High School, KJ Lewis was one of the biggest college recruits in the nation.

He chose perenial top ten program Arizona, with Tucson just about a 4.5 hour drive west of El Paso, down Interstate 10, where scores of his family also are able to attend his games, and in this case, they also joined him at the special event as Lewis cooked in the name of charity.

At the "Cooking With the Stars" Fundraiser at Tucson's "Mr. An's Restaurant", KJ Lewis joined other local celebrities such as World Series winner and former AZ Diamondback Luis Castillo, 12-time World and Olympic Medalist Bernard Lagat, and NFL great Ricky Hunley, just to name a few.

"Actually words can't describe and how he's become involved with the community, I'm very proud," said KJ Lewis' dad, Kenyon Lewis, as he chatted with ABC-7's Paul Cicala at the event in Tucson, "(I'm proud of) the things he does on and off the court." 

His off-the-court volunteering also includes a trip every summerto El Paso, where he goes back to his roots at Chapin High School, and hosts a basketball campe for kids here in the borderland.

"I'm always gonna' give back to El Paso, a city I was born and raised in. They saw me group up. I have their back, they have my back, but, also here in Tucson," said KJ Lewis.

ABC-7's Paul Cicala had the extreme honor of teaming up with KJ to volunteer at the event, as he Co-MC'ed and even got to give his official introduction of KJ Lewis from one El Pasoan to another.  

After the much-hyped intros of all of the celebrity cooks, KJ Lewis got to work serving Teppan-style as he'd chill at the grill.

"Just to give back to this community (of Tucson) as well," said KJ Lewis, "Small cities with great people, great communities. I'm always gonna' give back." 

 KJ Lewis, who's projected to play in the NBA, reiterated his commitment to giving back to the communities he lives in: "I'm always gonna' continue to do that," said Lewis.

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ABC-7's Paul Cicala periodically does a segment on KVIA called "People, Places & Paul" that showcases interesting characters of El Paso, including diverse places in the borderland, along with the movers-and-shakers of our region, including Ciudad Juarez. To see more of his stories, you can click this link.