Imhotep’s Ahmad Nowell is bound for UConn. First, he took a day to ‘give out a little food and a little wisdom.’

Whenever Ahmad Nowell spent mornings inside the gym at Imhotep Charter throughout the last four years, it was in relative solitude before the school day began so he could get a jump on the competition.

On Sunday morning, however, Imhotep’s gym was packed with kids from grade school, middle school, and high school for Nowell’s first free skills clinic.

Before he begins a new chapter with two-time defending national champion Connecticut next week, the 6-foot-1 guard, who left Imhotep’s storied program as one of its most decorated players, wanted to complete one final task.

“It means the world to me just to be able to give back and provide things that I wasn’t able to receive when I was younger,” said Nowell, sitting inside a library on the school’s Germantown campus. “Just doing a camp where we give out a little food and a little wisdom, it just means the world to me.”

Between 50 and 100 kids attended the camp, competed in various contests for prizes, ran drills, learned skills, and listened to Nowell, 18, who led Imhotep to a third consecutive PIAA Class 5A title last season.

» READ MORE: Soundtrack to greatness: Imhotep’s Ahmad Nowell finds an edge through morning practices

Tasheed Carr, the former St. Joseph’s guard who has been a father figure to Nowell, helped run Sunday’s event.

Carr, who also played at Iowa State and professionally overseas, said it was important for the event to be free. He and Nowell said their respective families couldn’t afford camps when they were younger.

“It’s for the community,” Carr said. “I think we’re building something bigger. For me, it’s actually my goal to have everything I do be free for the kids. I just think that it’s our duty to give back. Any time we’re in a position to give time for free, I think there’s more blessings in that than anything.”

Nowell’s exceptional career with the Panthers also included three Public League titles. He also was twice named to the PIAA first-team all-state squad, including last season when he also earned Class 5A player of the year honors.

Imhotep coach Andre Noble, however, seems more pleased with who Nowell has become off the court.

“Just super proud that he sees a connection between himself and community,” Nobel said. “Just proud that he sees that things are bigger than just him.”

Nowell said he leaves for Storrs, Conn., next weekend.

Nowell could see significant action as a freshman after coach Dan Hurley’s juggernaut lost key players in June’s NBA draft following the Huskies’ dominant run in last year’s NCAA Tournament.

No matter what happens, Nowell is likely to log early-morning hours just as he did at Imhotep.

“It’s an amazing feeling to start over, to have that hunger, and prove myself all over again,” he said. “Just always with that chip on my shoulder to come in, play, and be an impact freshman, and then prove it every day in practice.”