West Memphis park renamed to honor Sonny Weems

Local hoops legend still a presence in the community

By JOHN RECH

news@theeveningtimes.com

City Council passed a resolution honoring Sonny Weems with the renaming of the Tenth Street Mini-Park for Weems. The move took into account his story as an overcomer and a man of benevolence in the city.

Born July 8, 1986 with cleft feet, Doctor’s told Weems he may never walk or ride, he stumbled with cleft feet spending childhood in corrective shoes before finding his stride at West Memphis High School as a state long jump and high jump champion with a 6’10’’ jump. The Blue Devil basketball team flourished while Weems played amassing a 68 -10 record and a 5A state championship.

Rated the number one junior college player in the country by rivals.com and Street and Smith’s Weems

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Photo by John Rech

City Council changed the name of The Tenth Street Mini-Park to honor favorite son Sonny Weems. The local hoops star with NBA and Euro League credentials has purchased school supplies, run basketball camps and donated money to improve this neighborhood court at Tenth Street and E. Polk where he grew up mastering the game.

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lead the 20202 University of Arkansas Ft. Smith to a 2002 national championship. His basketball career landed him in the NBA with the Nuggets, Raptors, Suns and 76er’s. Weems moved to stardom in the Euro League making nal four teams and rst team Euro League Competition.

Weems continued contributing his time and nances in the city. He founded Weems Week in 2012, serving youth with his personal time an nances. Weems has annually conducted basketball camps, distributed supplies and backpacks. In 2015 Weems donated $10,000 to improve the tenth street basketball court on the corner at Polk.