The DeMaria family has had to often live with the criticism and, often, cheap shots that are directed at their father, Carlo DeMaria Sr., being the Mayor of Everett.
That has gone on for years since the casino debate more than a decade ago, but in a recent controversy over a new basketball hoop, Carlo DeMaria Jr. said he will simply give up the recent gift given to him rather than let the controversy stew around his father.
“I got this net as a gift,” he said. “However, I’ve seen this story go around about my dad and it’s totally the opposite of what happened. It’s right in front of the house and pretty big. Everyone sees it and I was excited to get it. But with all the stories going around, I decided I’m going to donate it and let it make someone else happy. I’m 21 now and work all the time and go to school. I don’t really have time to play basketball like I used to do. I’m going to talk to the Housing Authority and I have an idea for where it can go and maybe they’ll agree.”
DeMaria Jr. was a huge basketball fan and played all the time, he said, mostly on his old net at his house. He also played and coached in the Everett Youth Basketball League, and ran a daily summer basketball workshop for kids a few years ago.
He said, however, with school and work, he doesn’t have as much time to play like he used to, and with the controversy going around about the gift and that his father “traded” for it, DeMaria Jr. said it could simply be used for the joy of others. Popular rumors that seemed to gather some steam said the basketball hoop was the mayors and that he had done something untoward to get it. In fact, it was simply a gift that was given to his son.
“I figured maybe this could bring joy to some kid or family,” he said. “I feel they would appreciate it more than I would. I had a basketball net when I was growing up, but I’m getting older and don’t have time to play hoops the way I used to. I mostly just park under it now when I come home from work. And with the stress on my dad about it, why not just use it to make someone else happy?”
DeMaria Jr. said many of the parks have great basketball facilities now, so he’s looking for a place that is further removed or not near a park. He said he immediately thought of the Family Veterans Housing location behind Everett High School, but he said he’s open to putting it wherever it will make the most people happy.
“As long as it stays in Everett and goes to an area that doesn’t have any hoops nearby,” he said. “It was a gift to me and people assumed it was my father’s hoop. It wasn’t, but maybe this is an even better outcome for it.”