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

The NBA is delighted to reveal the ten candidates for the NBA Cares Community Assist Award for the 2020-21 Season, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. Each of these athletes has demonstrated remarkable dedication to community service, making a significant positive difference beyond the basketball court.

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Below are the nominees.

DeAndre’ Bembry

Benefiting Charity: AP World

Since his NBA career began, DeAndre’ Bembry has shown a commitment to philanthropy. He started the AP World organization in honor of his brother Adrien, who tragically died from gun violence just weeks before the 2016 NBA Draft. AP World is dedicated to building safer communities and supporting families by providing resources to help manage and overcome grief.

Throughout the year, DeAndre’ has been actively involved with AP World, participating in a variety of charitable activities. These include providing Thanksgiving meals for families, partnering with Operation Warm for Children’s Aid in Toronto to distribute brand new coats to children in need, and donating 500 pairs of new shoes to the Boys & Girls Club Youth in Indianapolis in February, in collaboration with Shoes that Fit. In addition, Bembry took part in a virtual roundtable discussion with an all-athletes panel ahead of National Gun Violence Survivors week in the first week of February, where he shared his personal story and advocated for gun safety.

In April, DeAndre’ took part in a virtual school assembly for the Huddle Up Bullying Prevention Program in Toronto. The program is aimed at stopping bullying, discrimination, and racism by fostering a culture of fairness, diversity, and inclusion. It also encourages students to take action. Bembry’s online presentation was streamed to thousands of young people in 100 schools across Ontario. The objective was to teach students how to face and overcome adversities, emerging stronger.

Bembry is taking part in a Wear Orange virtual panel on June 4 as a component of the 7th Annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day, sharing the story of his family. His dedication to safety in the face of gun violence is indisputable and inspiring, particularly in how he has transformed a tragic event into a foundation that provides support to 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, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. This was in acknowledgment of his ongoing dedication to helping young people and families in the wider Phoenix region.

In May, at a Suns home game, Booker announced a surprise for five local nonprofit organizations. They were selected as the 2020-21 class of the Devin Booker Starting Five initiative, which he announced through a pre-recorded in-game address. Each organization, including Arizona Autism United, Central Arizona Shelter Services, YMCA of Southern Arizona, GAP Ministries, and Elevate Phoenix, received a $100,000 grant from Booker. These funds will help meet urgent funding needs post-pandemic and support their work to enhance the lives of local youths and families. To further honor and aid the 2020-21 class, Booker and Phoenix Suns Charities unveiled a limited-edition Devin Booker Starting Five hoodie, celebrating the chosen nonprofits. Booker designed these unique hoodies, which were available for a short time, with all sales proceeds supporting Phoenix Suns Charities.

The five organizations are part of the second group supported by the Devin Booker Starting Five initiative. This initiative annually donates $500,000, divided among five different youth-focused nonprofits in Arizona. Over a span of five years, this amounts to a total of $2.5 million. The first group of nonprofits—Special Olympics Arizona, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center, UMOM New Day Centers, and Ability 360—received their $100,000 grants at the end of 2019. Beyond the Starting Five initiative, Booker has extended substantial support to youth and families throughout the Valley through COVID-19 relief efforts and holiday shopping sprees. Additionally, as a Special Olympics Global Ambassador, he passionately advocates for inclusion in 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. In the same month, following his fourth consecutive nomination as an NBA All-Star starter, Embiid made a generous contribution of $100,000 to three Philadelphia-based organizations: Youth Services Inc., Project HOME, and Sunday Breakfast Mission, to help fight homelessness in Philadelphia. Beyond the financial contribution, Embiid also provided 15,000 meals to those in need, 4,000 essential clothing items, medical treatment for 1,000 housing insecure individuals, and access to a six-week summer camp for 50 young people experiencing homelessness. He also provided shelter for over 300 teenagers facing housing insecurity.

Embiid demonstrated his support for local community members by helping five families significantly 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, a significant portion of Embiid’s community work has been centered on COVID-19 relief efforts. As the pandemic began, Embiid teamed up with 76ers Managing Partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer to contribute $1.3 million to Penn Medicine for the development of antibody testing for frontline healthcare workers. Continuing his support for these healthcare workers, he committed $500,000 via the #FirstRespondersFirst campaign. This initiative, a collaboration between the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Thrive Global, and the CAA Foundation, aims to supply frontline workers with PPE.

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Jrue Holiday

Benefiting Charity: The Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Impact Fund

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

Jrue and his wife Lauren, after joining the Bucks in November, collaborated with the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation. Their objective was to identify small businesses owned by women and Black individuals that needed help the most. Upon evaluating grant applications, the Holiday family announced in January that they would be funding seven local businesses. The businesses are 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. They offer a range of services in southeastern Wisconsin, such as assisted living, home health, childcare, mental health and substance abuse services, hospitality, and more.

Holiday has committed to supporting communities that are important to him in the long term. This includes dedicating the rest of his 2020 NBA salary to establish The Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Justice Fund. The fund aims to fight systemic racism and promote economic equality by providing financial aid and support to Black-led organizations and businesses. Earlier in the season, the fund declared its support for 25 non-profit organizations and historically Black institutions, as well as 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 recognized for his ongoing efforts to empower Portland’s youth and received the April NBA Cares Community Assist Award, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente.

Since moving to Portland in 2012, Lillard has dedicated his efforts towards investing in and mentoring local high school students via his RESPECT program. This initiative supports, encourages, and applauds three local high schools – McDaniel, Parkrose, and Roosevelt. Amid the global pandemic and the shift to virtual learning, RESPECT adapted to continue student engagement. Lillard committed to maintaining contact with program participants via video visits and used his social media to spotlight students and teachers who embodied the program’s principles. As schools resumed in-person classes, Lillard supplied RESPECT branded face masks to students and staff involved in the programs.

Lillard introduced a special RESPECT version of his signature Dame7 shoe, exclusively for students in the program. The 500 pairs made included colors from McDaniel, Parkrose, and Roosevelt schools and highlighted the three RESPECT principles: Show Up, Work Hard, and Be Kind. The shoes were gifted to RESPECT’s partner schools to acknowledge students exemplifying these principles, and Lillard himself sported the sneakers several times during the season. Beyond RESPECT, Lillard continued his ambassadorship for the Moda Assist Program, a partnership with Moda Health and the Trail Blazers. This program donates $20 for every assist made during the season to build inclusive playgrounds for all abilities across Oregon. This year, Astoria has been chosen to receive funds for an all-abilities playground, benefiting 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.

In February, the Indigenous Community Basketball League (ICBL) was launched for the first time by Indigenous Basketball Australia. This organization, established by Mills, aimed to create opportunities for Aboriginal Australians to engage in basketball. The league, intended for players aged 14 and under, was launched in eight different Australian locations. These tournaments not only encourage basketball development but also promote life skills education, including mental and physical well-being, and the reinforcement of individual identity during a crucial developmental stage. These events also uphold and celebrate Indigenous cultural traditions. Moreover, Mills collaborated with the NBA and Jr. NBA to unveil the National Indigenous Basketball Tournament (NIBT) to be held at the Gold Coast in Queensland from April 11-13. This event will provide 48 boys and girls with additional chances for both on- and off-court growth.

Mills has devoted a significant portion of his professional career in the United States to contributing back to Australia, specifically focusing on empowering Indigenous youth and communities of color. In 2020, he contributed the rest of his 2019-20 season salary to organizations dedicated to social justice and initiated the ‘We Got You’ campaign with other prominent Australian athletes. This campaign aims to eradicate racism, exclusion, and discrimination in sports. Following the severe Australian bushfires earlier in the year, Mills coordinated a donation of $750,000 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 recognized his ongoing work to promote social justice and education between the NBA seasons of 2019-20 and 2020-21.

In December, the Mitchell family made a $12 million pledge to Greenwich Country Day School, the alma mater of Donovan and Jordan Mitchell, and the previous workplace of their mother, Nicole, who taught there for over a decade. This record-breaking donation will be allocated towards the establishment of the Mitchell Family Scholarship Fund, which will provide financial aid to students from pre-K to 12th grade. It will also support the Nicole Mitchell Faculty Support Fund, created to aid passionate teachers like Nicole, as well as the new D.O.N.! The Determination Over Negativity Mitchell Family Athletic Center. Additionally, this past summer, Mitchell donated the earnings from his Adidas D.O.N. Issue #2 sneakers, amounting to more than $300,000. These funds will be used for scholarships and academic support for Jacob Blake’s children, students of color at the University of Louisville, and teachers at preschools in Connecticut and the Bronx.

Mitchell, known for his steadfast dedication to addressing racial injustice during the NBA’s 2019-20 season restart, carried on the conversation into the offseason. He joined discussions on educational, economic and social disparities alongside then-vice-presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, CJ McCollum from Portland, and Tobias Harris from Philadelphia. In addition, Mitchell was appointed to the first board of the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition. This group aims to use the influence of the game to raise awareness, educate, and advocate for significant reform. Mitchell also regularly contributes to those in need through his organization, SPIDACARES.

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Larry Nance Jr.

Benefiting Charity: Athletes vs. Chron’s

Larry Nance Jr., a well-known basketball and community figure in Northeast Ohio, has dedicated himself to support small businesses suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He has pledged to use each regular season game to boost pre-chosen local businesses by donating all proceeds from the auction of his game-worn jerseys. Both Larry and the Cavaliers match the proceeds, thereby tripling the donation for each small business.

Larry’s social media challenge attracted hundreds of packages from local businesses keen to be highlighted during his pregame walk-up. Moreover, the Cavs FieldHouse Creative Team conducts post-game interviews with these small business owners, which are then featured on Cavs’ digital platforms. This not only offers fans a deeper insight into these businesses but also aids in promoting their story across the Northeast Ohio community.

As the season of the Cavaliers ended, Larry managed to collect over $222k, offering invaluable visibility for 72 deserving small businesses. Moreover, Westfield, a corporate partner of the Cavaliers, matched the funds generated by Larry’s jersey sale, adding an extra $100K donation to the Urban League of Greater Cleveland and the Akron Urban League. Both organizations work to support minority-owned businesses. On a different note, Larry started the Athletes vs Chron’s and Colitis foundation in 2017. The foundation’s mission is to raise awareness about both diseases among adolescents and help young people reach their athletic goals despite their diagnoses.

Throughout the pandemic, Larry utilized his platform to converse 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 2020-21 season started, Richardson joined the Mavericks and promptly made efforts to positively impact the broader Dallas area. He surprised many frontline health care workers at UT Southwestern Medical Center with gifts such as Reebok sneakers, team merchandise, and a surprise video message expressing gratitude for their continuous efforts to ensure the safety of the community. Additionally, Richardson made a surprise visit to a first grade class in the Dallas Independent School District as a guest reader, encouraging the students to cultivate a love for reading and education amidst the unique challenges of this school year.

Richardson, being the son of a female Air Force service member, has maintained an ongoing relationship with the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. This program aims to provide support, care, and resources to families and friends mourning the loss of a military servicemember. For many years, Richardson has fostered a close bond with his mentee, Elijah, through this program. Furthermore, during the festive season, he has generously donated gifts to over 20 families who also experienced the loss of a servicemember.

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Russell Westbrook

Benefiting Charity: Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation

Russell Westbrook continues to make a positive impact in the communities where he lives and plays. As he adapts to a new team environment, Westbrook collaborated with the LA Promise Fund to establish the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Academy in his home city of Los Angeles. The academy, catering to middle and high school students, is designed to improve access to educational services and outdoor activities for children and the broader community in south Los Angeles. Westbrook started The Why Not? Foundation in 2012 with the ultimate objective of providing services to vulnerable groups, including education, mental health resources, and tools for employment. The foundation aims to inspire young individuals to think creatively, chase their dreams, and never give up, even in the face of adversity. In November, Westbrook and his foundation joined forces with the L.A. Regional Food Bank to distribute Thanksgiving meals to residents of Los Angeles for the ninth consecutive year.

In December, Russell organized a unique Christmas sneaker giveaway for all students at The Children’s Guild District of Columbia Public Charter School. This school caters to a substantial number of students from homeless or unstable living conditions. Later, in February, Russell teamed up with Varo Bank in an advisory role, aiming to address income disparities through financial literacy programs specifically designed for minority communities. Beyond his direct community engagement, Westbrook has undertaken the responsibility of raising awareness about the sustained inequalities experienced by Black people in America throughout history.

In April, Russell revealed that he was working on a documentary about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, an event that is frequently neglected and not taught in American history. The documentary will premiere on May 30.

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