WATERLOO — Time is precious. Every living moment is dear.

"You've got to use your time wisely," 19-year-old Jamal Murray said on Saturday, as the NBA rookie from Kitchener visited a grief-ridden public housing complex in Waterloo.

"That's one of the things I've learned. Whatever it is — doing this or working out or finding a place — you've got to make sure you're on top of things and not wasting time."

Murray wasted little time during his comforting sunny afternoon visit to the same Amos Avenue complex, where 18-month old Mohamed Abdalla died in late July.

Surrounded by children, Murray spun a basketball on one finger, like a modern-day Meadowlark Lemon. He dribbled once and smiled often.

Smiles had been forced since little Mohamed was struck by an SUV while playing in the parking lot of the complex his big family lived in. That was understandable.

A family of 12 children was tragically reduced to 11. The youngest was lost. Mohamed's mom remains shaken.

"Still, she's not sleeping," father Mohydin says.

But on Saturday, a bouncy-castle full of playful giggles stood in the same parking lot. A solitary pot of memorial white mums stood silently on the sidewalk nearby.

At the other end of the parking lot, basketball gripped in his left hand, Murray made his grinning entrance into a merry mob of about 100 kids. They cheered Murray, who wore a pristine white sweatshirt and light grey Canada track pants.

Some kids argued over who was Murray's No. 1 fan. One boy pledged to give the six-foot-five Denver Nugget a mile-high hug.

That was what this appearance was all about for Murray, who signed autographs under a tall pine and handed out 120 backpacks filled with school supplies donated by some supportive corporations. This was a community party in the middle of a sorrow-stricken complex desperate for some good cheer.

"This is for them," Murray said. "I want them to feel good."

And the presence of Murray, the seventh overall pick in pro basketball's big draft in June following a college stint in Kentucky, made them feel good.

"It means a lot, showing love to us," said Hassan Abdalla, the 19-year-old brother of little Mohamed. "It's life. You go through stuff. We've very happy with all the support, all the community coming together."

Besides, Hassan and Murray have a little bit of hard court history together.

They were fierce middle-school foes once. Murray played for Stanley Park of Kitchener. Hassan suited up for Centennial of Waterloo.

"He was killing it back then," conceded Hassan, an aspiring electrician. "Good memories, you know?"

And a few good memories were made on Saturday six weeks after the tragedy.

Murray, who said he was due to return to Denver on Monday with his first NBA season looming, intends to do more community events around Kitchener-Waterloo in the future.

"This is my place," said Murray, who wants to set a good example for his nine-year-old little brother Lamar. "This is my home."

But Denver is where the shooting guard will cash his paycheque. Over his first two seasons, the Denver Post says, he'll earn more than $6.6-million under the NBA's rookie contract scale. Those are big bucks for a former Grand River high schooler.

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Yet, on Saturday, Murray spent his precious time generously, signing one strap of a red backpack he gave to eight-year-old Sara Musa. It didn't matter that her hair braid got stuck in the zipper for an instant.

Musa's favourite parts of this day? That was easy.

"Eating popcorn," she said. "And meeting Jamal."