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

The NBA is thrilled to reveal the ten candidates for the 2020-21 Season NBA Cares Community Assist Award, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. Each player has demonstrated a remarkable dedication to their community, having a positive influence beyond the basketball court.

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Below are the nominees.

DeAndre’ Bembry

Benefiting Charity: AP World

Since his NBA career inception, DeAndre’ Bembry has been committed 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 is devoted to fostering safer communities and equipping families with the resources needed to cope with and triumph over grief.

Throughout the year, DeAndre’ has been actively involved with AP World, participating in various charity activities. These include distributing Thanksgiving meals to families, partnering with Operation Warm for Children’s Aid in Toronto to provide brand-new coats for children in need, and donating 500 pairs of brand-new shoes to the Boys & Girls Club Youth in Indianapolis in February in collaboration with Shoes that Fit. In the lead up to National Gun Violence Survivors week in the first week of February, Bembry took part in a virtual roundtable discussion with an all-athlete panel, sharing his personal story and advocating for gun safety.

In April, DeAndre’ took part in a virtual assembly for the Huddle Up Bullying Prevention Program in Toronto. This program aims to eliminate bullying, discrimination, and racism by fostering a culture of fairness, diversity, and inclusion, and encouraging students to act. Bembry’s virtual talk reached thousands of young people in 100 Ontario schools, striving to teach students how to navigate through difficult times and emerge stronger.

Bembry is participating in a Wear Orange virtual panel on June 4, as part of the 7th Annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day, to share his family’s story. His unwavering commitment to safety in the face of gun violence is both inspiring and undeniable, as he’s transformed a tragic event into a foundation that provides support for other families dealing with grief.

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Devin Booker

Benefiting Charity: Phoenix Suns Charities

Devin Booker, guard for the Phoenix Suns, was awarded the May NBA Cares Community Assist Award by Kaiser Permanente. This award honors his ongoing dedication to helping the youth and families in the broader Phoenix community.

At a Suns home game in May, Booker unexpectedly announced to five local nonprofit organizations that they were the selected beneficiaries of the 2020-21 Devin Booker Starting Five initiative. This announcement was made through a pre-recorded in-game address. The organizations, Arizona Autism United, Central Arizona Shelter Services, Southern Arizona YMCA, GAP Ministries, and Elevate Phoenix, were each given a $100,000 grant by Booker. These grants were aimed at addressing the financial struggles brought about by the pandemic and supporting the organizations’ work to improve the lives of local youths and families. In addition, to celebrate the 2020-21 class and contribute further, Booker and Phoenix Suns Charities designed a limited-edition hoodie commemorating the chosen nonprofits. The hoodies, which were designed by Booker and only available for a short period, were sold with all proceeds going to Phoenix Suns Charities.

These five organizations are the second batch of beneficiaries from the Devin Booker Starting Five initiative, which pledges $500,000 every year to different youth-focused nonprofits in Arizona, aggregating to $2.5 million over five years. The first batch of recipients — Special Olympics Arizona, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center, UMOM New Day Centers, and Ability 360— were granted $100,000 each in late 2019. Besides the Starting Five initiative, Booker has significantly aided youth and families throughout the Valley via COVID-19 relief efforts and holiday shopping sprees. As a Special Olympics Global Ambassador, he continuously advocates for inclusivity through sports.

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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. The honor came in the same month he was selected as an NBA All-Star starter for the fourth year in a row. Embiid continued his fight against homelessness in Philadelphia by donating $100,000 to three local organizations: Youth Services Inc., Project HOME, and Sunday Breakfast Mission. In addition to his monetary contribution, he provided 15,000 meals, 4,000 essential clothing items, and medical treatment for 1,000 individuals facing housing insecurity. He also sponsored a six-week summer camp for 50 homeless youths and provided shelter for over 300 teenagers dealing with housing instability.

Embiid demonstrated his support for local community members by aiding five families severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. He provided each family with gifts and clothing, groceries, and a year’s worth of rent relief.

Over the past year, Embiid has concentrated his community efforts mainly on COVID-19 relief. When the pandemic broke out, he teamed up with 76ers Managing Partners, Josh Harris and David Blitzer, to donate $1.3 million to Penn Medicine for the development of antibody tests for frontline health workers. Continuing his support for healthcare workers, he pledged an additional $500,000 to the #FirstRespondersFirst campaign. This initiative, by the 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, co-shared the January NBA Cares Community Assist Award, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente.

In November, after signing with the Bucks, Jrue and his wife Lauren collaborated with the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation to pinpoint small businesses owned by women and Black individuals that required the most aid. Having assessed numerous grant applications, the Holiday family declared in January that they would be funding seven local businesses. These businesses – 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 – offer a range of services in southeastern Wisconsin. These services encompass assisted living, home health, childcare, mental health and substance abuse services, hospitality, and more.

Holiday has also made significant long-term commitments to support communities that matter to him. This includes a pledge of his entire 2020 NBA salary to establish The Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Justice Fund. This fund aims to fight systemic racism and enhance economic equality by offering financial support to Black-led organizations and businesses. Earlier in the season, the fund declared support for 25 non-profits and historically Black institutions, along with 23 Black-owned small businesses in Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Indianapolis.

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Damian Lillard

Benefiting Charity: Special Olympics Oregon

Damian Lillard, guard for the Portland Trail Blazers, was awarded the April NBA Cares Community Assist Award by Kaiser Permanente. This was in acknowledgement of his ongoing work to inspire and uplift the youth of Portland.

Since his 2012 arrival in Portland, Lillard has dedicated himself to investing in and mentoring local high school students through his RESPECT program. This initiative supports, encourages, and celebrates students from three Portland-area high schools: McDaniel, Parkrose, and Roosevelt. In response to the global pandemic and the shift to virtual learning, RESPECT adapted to continue engaging with its students. Lillard stayed connected with participants through video visits and used his social media platforms to spotlight students and teachers who embodied the program’s principles. As schools resumed in-person learning, Lillard supplied RESPECT-branded face masks for students and staff involved in the program.

Lillard introduced a unique RESPECT edition of his Dame7 shoe, designed exclusively for students in the program. The 500 pairs produced included the colors of McDaniel, Parkrose and Roosevelt schools and embodied the three RESPECT principles: Show Up, Work Hard, and Be Kind. Lillard donated the shoes to RESPECT’s partner schools as a reward for students who exemplify these principles and sported the sneakers himself several times during the season. In addition to RESPECT, Lillard maintained his ambassadorial role for the Moda Assist Program, a partnership with Moda Health and the Trail Blazers, which pledges $20 per assist made during the season towards building all-inclusive playgrounds throughout Oregon. This year, the city of Astoria has been chosen to receive funds to assist in constructing a playground for all abilities, thus enhancing 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.

Indigenous Basketball Australia, a foundation by Mills to offer Aboriginal Australians a chance to play basketball, launched the first Indigenous Community Basketball League (ICBL) in February. The league, intended for players aged 14 and under, is held in eight locations across Australia. The tournaments not only preserve and celebrate Indigenous cultural practices but also concentrate on basketball development and education in life skills. This includes mental and physical health, as well as fostering individual identity during a crucial developmental stage. Furthermore, Mills collaborated with the NBA and the Jr. NBA to publicize the National Indigenous Basketball Tournament (NIBT). This event, happening from April 11-13 at Queensland’s Gold Coast, will provide further on-court and off-court development opportunities for 48 boys and girls.

Mills has spent a significant part of his professional playing career in the US, making contributions to Australia, with an emphasis on empowering Indigenous youth and communities of color. He used the rest of his 2019-20 season salary to support social justice organizations and initiated the ‘We Got You’ campaign with other notable Australian athletes in 2020. This campaign is aimed at eradicating racism, exclusion, and discrimination in sports. In response to the catastrophic Australian bushfires earlier that year, Mills also arranged a $750,000 donation from nine Australian NBA players.

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Donovan Mitchell

Benefiting Charity: Children’s Village

Donovan Mitchell, a guard for the Utah Jazz, was awarded the Offseason NBA Cares Community Assist Award by Kaiser Permanente. This award acknowledges his ongoing work in promoting social justice and advocating for education during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 NBA seasons.

In December, the Mitchell family donated $12 million to Greenwich Country Day School, the alma mater of Donovan and his sister Jordan and where their mother, Nicole, taught for over ten years. This was the biggest single donation in the school’s history. The funds will establish the Mitchell Family Scholarship Fund for pre-K-12th grade students, the Nicole Mitchell Faculty Support Fund for passionate teachers, and the D.O.N.! The Determination Over Negativity Mitchell Family Athletic Center. Additionally, Mitchell donated the earnings from his Adidas D.O.N. Issue #2 sneakers this past summer. The proceeds, exceeding $300,000, were used for scholarships and academic aid for Jacob Blake’s children, University of Louisville students of color, and preschool teachers in Connecticut and the Bronx.

Mitchell maintained his strong stance against racial injustice even after the 2019-20 NBA season restart, engaging in dialogues during the offseason. He collaborated with then vice-presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, CJ McCollum from Portland, and Tobias Harris from Philadelphia, discussing educational, economic, and social disparities. Besides, he was appointed to the first board of the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition, an organization aimed at utilizing the influence of the game to promote awareness, education, and advocate for significant reform. Mitchell also consistently supports the underprivileged through his SPIDACARES organization.

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Larry Nance Jr.

Benefiting Charity: Athletes vs. Chron’s

Larry Nance Jr., a basketball and community icon in his native Northeast Ohio, has pledged to support small businesses severely affected by COVID-19. Larry has chosen to donate all auction proceeds from his game-worn jerseys to pre-selected local businesses for each regular season game. Moreover, both Larry and the Cavs are matching the proceeds, thereby tripling the donation each small business receives.

Larry’s social media challenge led to him receiving hundreds of packages from local businesses who wanted to be featured during his pregame walk-up. Moreover, post-game interviews with these small business owners are presented by the Cavs FieldHouse Creative Team on Cavs digital platforms. This provides fans with a more detailed insight into the businesses and helps to promote their story across the Northeast Ohio community.

As the Cavaliers’ season drew to an end, Larry managed to raise over $222k, offering priceless publicity to 72 worthy small enterprises. Furthermore, Westfield, a corporate partner of the Cavs, doubled the money raised from Larry’s jersey auction through a generous donation of $100K to the Urban League of Greater Cleveland and the Akron Urban League, organizations that back minority-owned businesses. On another note, Larry set up the Athletes vs Chron’s and Colitis foundation in 2017. The foundation’s goal is to increase awareness about both diseases in young people and motivate children diagnosed with these conditions to pursue their athletic dreams.

Larry utilized his platform amid the pandemic to talk about 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 commencement of the 2020-21 season, Richardson joined the Mavericks and promptly aimed to influence the larger Dallas area. He surprised numerous frontline healthcare workers from UT Southwestern Medical Center by giving them Reebok sneakers, team merchandise, and a surprise video message thanking them for their continuous efforts in maintaining community safety. Additionally, he made a visit to a first-grade class in the Dallas Independent School District as a guest reader. He encouraged the students to value reading and education amidst the unique challenges of this school year, leaving them pleasantly surprised.

Richardson, the son of an Air Force servicewoman, has continued his engagement with the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. This program offers support and resources to those mourning the death of a servicemember. Over several years, he has built a strong bond with his mentee, Elijah, through the program. During the holiday period, he donated gifts to over 20 families also grieving the loss of a family member in service.

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Russell Westbrook

Benefiting Charity: Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation

Russell Westbrook continues to make a positive impact in the communities he calls home. Upon joining a new team market, he collaborated with the LA Promise Fund to establish the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Academy in his hometown of Los Angeles. The academy, which caters to middle and high school students, aims to improve access to educational services and outdoor opportunities in south Los Angeles. Westbrook established The Why Not? Foundation in 2012 with the objective of providing assistance to at-risk communities, such as educational resources, mental health support and career tools. The foundation also promotes creative thinking and encourages young individuals to chase their dreams, regardless of the challenges they face. In November, Westbrook and his foundation partnered with the L.A. Regional Food Bank for the ninth consecutive year to provide Thanksgiving meals to Los Angeles residents.

In December, Russell organized a unique Christmas sneaker giveaway for all students at The Children’s Guild District of Columbia Public Charter School. The school caters to students, many hailing from homeless or unstable housing situations. In February, he became an advisor at Varo Bank with the goal of addressing income inequalities via programs aimed at enhancing financial literacy within minority communities. Besides his direct community engagement, Westbrook has shown initiative in raising awareness about distinct inequities experienced by Black people in America throughout history.

In April, Russell revealed that he is working on 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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