Kalmthout (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Kadrie Primary School in Kalmthout hosted Antwerp Giants players Vincent Kesteloot, 30 years old, Niels De Ridder, 24 years old, and Andrew Funk, 26 years old, for Reading Week, with storytelling, photos, and autographs for students.
As VRT News reported, Kalmthout Kadrie Primary School marked Reading Week with a visit from 3 Antwerp Giants basketball players on Tuesday afternoon, Nov 25, 2025. Vincent Kesteloot, Niels De Ridder, and Andrew Funk read stories to several classes. The visit was arranged by principal Koen De Muter, who invites well-known figures to the school each year during Reading Week.
What inspired Kadrie’s primary students during the Antwerp Giants visit?
On Monday, Nov 24, 2025, Mayor Lukas Jacobs (CD&V) and Alderman for Education Jef Van Den Bergh (CD&V) visited the school to support the event. For the students, meeting professional athletes in the classroom was a special experience. The reading sessions included storytelling, questions, and discussions with the children.
The Antwerp Giants had a few days off this week while the Belgian national team prepared for a game against France. This gave Vincent Kesteloot, Niels De Ridder, and Andrew Funk the chance to visit Kadrie Primary School on Tuesday, Nov 25, 2025.
Vincent Kesteloot, 30 years old, said reading aloud was both fun and nerve-racking. He read stories about the history of Antwerp to 5th-grade students.
“It was completely out of my comfort zone. I think I was more nervous than before a basketball game, but I still enjoyed being able to do that for them.”
Niels De Ridder, a 24-year-old, read to 3rd and 4th-grade students in the school gym.
“The children were excited when I said that I also went to school in Kalmthout,”
said De Ridder.
American player Andrew Funk, 26 years old, read in English to 6th graders. This is Funk’s first year playing basketball in Europe after taking part in several NBA games with the Chicago Bulls.
After the reading sessions, students could take photos and get autographs from the 3 players. Teachers noticed that the children were less focused on language and math lessons afterwards, clearly energised and excited by meeting the basketball stars.
The Antwerp Giants are one of Belgium’s top basketball teams and play in the BNXT League, which includes teams from Belgium and the Netherlands. Vincent Kesteloot, born in 1995, is a forward for the Giants, while Niels De Ridder, born in 2001, has come through the team’s youth system. American guard Andrew Funk joined the Giants in July 2025.
