Vote for the 2020-21 NBA Cares Seasonlong Community Assist Award

The NBA is delighted to declare the 10 candidates for the NBA Cares Community Assist Award for the 2020-21 season, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. Each of these players has demonstrated a remarkable dedication to their community and a positive off-court impact.

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Below are the nominees.

DeAndre’ Bembry

Benefiting Charity: AP World

Since his NBA debut, DeAndre’ Bembry has shown a strong commitment to philanthropy. He founded the AP World organization in memory of his brother Adrien, who tragically lost his life to gun violence just weeks before the 2016 NBA Draft. The organization focuses on promoting safer communities and offering resources to families to help them manage and recover from grief.

Throughout the year, DeAndre’ has been actively involved with AP World in various charitable activities. These include providing Thanksgiving meals for families, collaborating with Operation Warm to supply new coats for needy children in Toronto, and donating 500 brand-new pairs of shoes to the Boys and Girls Club Youth in Indianapolis through the Shoes that Fit initiative in February. In addition, ahead of National Gun Violence Survivors Week in the first week of February, Bembry joined a virtual roundtable discussion as part of an all-athletes panel, where he shared his personal story and advocated for gun safety.

In April, DeAndre’ took part in a virtual assembly for Toronto’s Huddle Up Bullying Prevention Program, a program aimed at preventing bullying, discrimination, and racism by fostering an environment of equity, diversity, and inclusion. The program also empowers students to take action. Bembry’s online presentation, which was aimed at teaching students how to overcome challenges and emerge stronger, reached thousands of young people in 100 schools across Ontario.

Bembry is joining the 7th Annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day by participating in a Wear Orange virtual panel on June 4, where he will share his family’s experience. His unwavering commitment to safety in the face of gun violence is both undeniable and inspirational, particularly given the way he has transformed a tragic incident into a supportive foundation for other families dealing with grief.

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Devin Booker

Benefiting Charity: Phoenix Suns Charities

Devin Booker, a guard for the Phoenix Suns, was awarded the May NBA Cares Community Assist Award by Kaiser Permanente. This award is in recognition of his ongoing commitment to supporting youth and families in the greater Phoenix area.

During a Suns home game in May, Booker unexpectedly announced five local nonprofits as the 2020-21 beneficiaries of his Devin Booker Starting Five initiative. The announcement was made through a pre-recorded message during the game. The recipients, Arizona Autism United, Central Arizona Shelter Services, Southern Arizona’s YMCA, GAP Ministries, and Elevate Phoenix, each got a $100,000 grant from Booker. This funding was aimed to assist with critical needs following the pandemic, and to support each organization’s efforts to better the lives of local families and youth. To further celebrate and aid the 2020-21 class, Booker and Phoenix Suns Charities launched a limited-edition Devin Booker Starting Five hoodie, which featured the selected nonprofits. The unique hoodies, designed by Booker himself, were sold for a limited period with all proceeds going to Phoenix Suns Charities.

The Devin Booker Starting Five initiative donates $500,000 yearly to five different youth-based nonprofits in Arizona, equating to $2.5 million over five years. The five organizations are the second batch to benefit from this initiative. The first set of beneficiaries, which included Special Olympics Arizona, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center, UMOM New Day Centers and Ability 360, received their $100,000 grants in late 2019. Apart from his Starting Five project, Booker has significantly contributed to the Valley’s youth and families with COVID-19 relief and holiday shopping sprees. Moreover, as a Special Olympics Global Ambassador, he actively advocates for inclusion through sport.

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Joel Embiid

Benefiting Charity: Covenant House Pennsylvania

In March, Joel Embiid, the center for the Philadelphia 76ers, was recognized with the Community Assist Award. Following his fourth consecutive selection as an NBA All-Star starter, Embiid continued his mission to alleviate homelessness in Philadelphia with a donation of $100,000 distributed amongst three local organizations: Youth Services Inc., Project HOME, and Sunday Breakfast Mission. Embiid’s contributions also encompassed providing 15,000 meals, 4,000 essential clothing items, medical care for 1,000 individuals lacking secure housing, a six-week summer camp experience for 50 homeless youth, and shelter for over 300 teenagers experiencing housing instability.

Embiid offered support to local community members by helping five families severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. He gave each family gifts, clothes, groceries, and covered their rent for the upcoming year.

Embiid has primarily focused his community efforts in the past year on providing COVID-19 relief. He teamed up with 76ers Managing Partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer at the start of the pandemic to donate $1.3 million to Penn Medicine for developing antibody tests for frontline healthcare workers. Continually supporting healthcare workers, he pledged $500,000 through the #FirstRespondersFirst campaign. This initiative of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Thrive Global, and the CAA Foundation aims to supply PPE to frontline workers.

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Jrue Holiday

Benefiting Charity: The Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Impact Fund

Jrue Holiday, guard for the Milwaukee Bucks, and Josh Richardson, guard for the Dallas Mavericks, jointly received the January NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente.

In November, after becoming part of the Bucks, Jrue and his wife, Lauren, collaborated with Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation to spot small businesses owned by women and Black individuals that required the most help. Having evaluated the grant applications, the Holiday family declared in January that they would fund seven local businesses. These include Amri Counseling Services, Carter’s Quality Care, Hands at Home, Jamaican Season Island Restaurant, Kid’s Kingdom, Legacy Home Health Services, and The SW Retreat. These enterprises offer a wide range of services in southeastern Wisconsin, such as assisted living, home health, childcare, mental health and substance abuse services, hospitality, and more.

Holiday has also dedicated himself to long-term support for communities that matter to him. This includes his pledge of his 2020 NBA salary, which was used to establish The Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Justice Fund. The fund aims to fight systemic racism and promote economic equality by financially supporting Black-led organizations and businesses. Earlier this season, the fund declared its support for 25 non-profits and historically Black institutions. It also supported 23 Black-owned small businesses in Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Indianapolis.

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Damian Lillard

Benefiting Charity: Special Olympics Oregon

The NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente for April was awarded to Damian Lillard, a guard for the Portland Trail Blazers, in acknowledgement of his ongoing work to empower the youth of Portland.

Since settling in Portland in 2012, Lillard has concentrated on investing in and mentoring local high school students through his RESPECT program, which supports and celebrates three Portland high schools – McDaniel, Parkrose, and Roosevelt. Amidst the global pandemic and shift to virtual learning this year, RESPECT was able to adapt to sustain student engagement. Lillard dedicated himself to maintaining communication with program participants through virtual visits and acknowledged students and teachers who embodied the program’s principles on his social media platforms. He also supplied RESPECT-branded face masks for students and staff as schools transitioned back to in-person learning.

Lillard launched a special RESPECT version of his signature Dame7 shoe, exclusively for the students in the program. The 500 produced pairs included McDaniel, Parkrose and Roosevelt school colors, and embodied the three RESPECT principles: Show Up, Work Hard, and Be Kind. He gifted these shoes to the partner schools of RESPECT in recognition of students who exemplify these principles and even wore the sneakers several times in the season. Apart from RESPECT, Lillard also continued his work as an ambassador for the Moda Assist Program in partnership with Moda Health and the Trail Blazers. This program donates $20 for each assist made during the season to build inclusive playgrounds for all abilities throughout Oregon. This year, Astoria has been chosen to receive funds to construct an all-abilities playground to improve their community.

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Patty Mills

Benefiting Charity: Urban Indigenous Health

San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills took home the February NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente in recognition of his continued efforts to create opportunities that empower Indigenous young people and advance social justice in his native Australia.

February saw the launch of the inaugural Indigenous Community Basketball League (ICBL) by Indigenous Basketball Australia, an organization established by Mills to offer Aboriginal Australians opportunities in basketball. The ICBL, catering to players aged 14 and under, took place in eight Australian locations. The tournaments, while fostering basketball skills and life education, also aim to uphold and honor Indigenous cultural traditions. They emphasize mental and physical health, and the reinforcement of personal identity during a crucial developmental stage. In collaboration with the NBA and the Jr. NBA, Mills also unveiled the National Indigenous Basketball Tournament (NIBT) scheduled for April 11-13 on the Gold Coast in Queensland. This will further enhance on-court and off-court growth opportunities for 48 boys and girls.

Mills has devoted a significant portion of his professional career in the U.S. towards aiding Australia, specifically in empowering Indigenous youth and communities of color. In 2020, he contributed the remaining sum of his 2019-20 season salary to organizations promoting social justice, and partnered with other prominent Australian athletes to initiate the ‘We Got You’ campaign aimed at eradicating racism, exclusion, and discrimination in sports. Mills also coordinated a donation of $750,000 from nine Australian NBA players following the severe Australian bushfires earlier that year.

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Donovan Mitchell

Benefiting Charity: Children’s Village

Donovan Mitchell, a guard for the Utah Jazz, was honored with the Offseason NBA Cares Community Assist Award by Kaiser Permanente. This was in acknowledgement of his ongoing initiatives to promote social justice and advocate for education during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 NBA seasons.

The Mitchell family, including Donovan and his sister Jordan, made a $12 million donation to their alma mater, Greenwich Country Day School in December. This donation, the largest in the school’s history, will go towards the establishment of the Mitchell Family Scholarship Fund for students from pre-K to 12th grade, the Nicole Mitchell Faculty Support Fund to aid passionate teachers, and the D.O.N.! The Determination Over Negativity Mitchell Family Athletic Center. Their mother, Nicole, taught at this school for over a decade. In the summer, Mitchell also donated the earnings from his Adidas D.O.N. Issue #2 sneakers, totaling over $300,000, to support the education of Jacob Blake’s children, students of color at the University of Louisville, and preschool teachers in Connecticut and the Bronx.

Mitchell continued his staunch advocacy against racial injustice into the offseason following the 2019-20 NBA season restart. He joined a conversation with then vice-presidential candidate Senator Kamala Harris, CJ McCollum of Portland, and Tobias Harris of Philadelphia, focusing on educational, economic, and social disparities. He was also appointed to the first board of the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition, an organization aiming to use basketball’s influence for promoting awareness, education, and substantial reform. Additionally, through his SPIDACARES organization, Mitchell consistently offers support to those in dire need.

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Larry Nance Jr.

Benefiting Charity: Athletes vs. Chron’s

In his hometown of Northeast Ohio, Larry Nance Jr. is revered as a basketball and community champion. Recognizing the severe toll COVID-19 has taken on small businesses, Larry pledged to dedicate each regular season game to supporting pre-chosen local businesses. He does this by donating all proceeds from the auction of his game-worn jerseys. Larry and the Cavs further amplify the support by matching the proceeds, thereby tripling each donation received by the small businesses.

Larry’s social media challenge resulted in hundreds of packages from local businesses keen to be highlighted during his pregame walk-up. Moreover, post-game interviews with these small business owners are showcased by the Cavs FieldHouse Creative Team on Cavs digital platforms. This provides fans a detailed insight into the business and promotes their story extensively within the Northeast Ohio community.

Larry successfully raised over $222k and promoted 72 deserving small businesses as the Cavs season drew to a close. Furthermore, Cavs’ corporate partner, Westfield, matched the funds acquired through Larry’s jersey auction with an extra $100K donation to the Urban League of Greater Cleveland and the Akron Urban League. Both organizations actively support minority-owned businesses. In a separate endeavor in 2017, Larry initiated the Athletes vs Chron’s and Colitis foundation with aims to raise awareness among adolescents about both diseases and help children achieve their athletic dreams despite the diagnoses.

Larry utilized his platform during the pandemic to discuss the mental and physical effects of COVID-19 on individuals with pre-existing auto-immune conditions.

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Josh Richardson

Benefiting Charity: Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors

Shortly before the 2020-21 season began, Richardson joined the Mavericks and immediately aimed to make a difference in the wider Dallas area. He surprised numerous frontline health care workers from UT Southwestern Medical Center with gifts including Reebok sneakers, team merchandise and a surprise video message expressing gratitude for their continuous efforts to protect the community. Additionally, he visited a first grade class in the Dallas Independent School District as a guest reader, surprising the students and inspiring them to value reading and education, particularly during this challenging school year.

Richardson, the son of an Air Force servicewoman, has remained dedicated to the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, a program that offers assistance and comfort to those mourning the loss of a servicemember. He has fostered a strong bond with his mentee, Elijah, over several years of involvement in the program. During the holiday season, he extended his support by providing gifts to over 20 families who have also experienced the loss of a loved one in service.

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Russell Westbrook

Benefiting Charity: Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation

Russell Westbrook continues to contribute to the communities where he lives and works. He recently collaborated with the LA Promise Fund to establish the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Academy in his birthplace of Los Angeles as he settles into a new team market. The academy, which caters to students from middle to high school, will enhance access to educational services and outdoor activities for children and the broader community in south Los Angeles. In 2012, Westbrook established The Why Not? Foundation with the ultimate aim of offering services to vulnerable groups. This includes education, mental health resources, and workforce tools, and motivating young people to think creatively, chase their dreams, and persist, despite the obstacles they face. In November, Westbrook and his foundation joined forces with the L.A. Regional Food Bank to dispense Thanksgiving meals for the ninth consecutive year to Los Angeles residents.

In December, Russell organized a special Christmas sneaker giveaway for all students at The Children’s Guild District of Columbia Public Charter School. This school primarily serves students who come from homeless or unstable housing situations. In February, Russell partnered with Varo Bank as an advisor, aiming to address income disparities by implementing programs that enhance financial literacy within minority communities. Besides his direct involvement in community outreach, Westbrook has also initiated efforts to educate communities about the various injustices that Black people in America have historically faced.

In April, Russell revealed his plans to produce a documentary about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, a frequently ignored and untaught event in American history. The documentary is set to premiere on May 30.

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