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

The NBA is thrilled to reveal the ten contenders for the NBA Cares Community Assist Award for the 2020-21 Season, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. Each of these athletes has demonstrated an extraordinary dedication to their community and made significant positive contributions outside 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 been committed to philanthropy. He established the AP World organization in memory of his brother Adrien, who tragically died from gun violence just weeks before the 2016 NBA Draft. The organization’s mission is to build safer communities and offer families resources to help them cope and recover from grief.

Throughout the year, DeAndre’ has been actively involved with AP World. His contributions 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 brand-new shoes to Boys & Girls Club Youth in Indianapolis in February, in collaboration with Shoes that Fit. Prior to National Gun Violence Survivors week in the first week of February, Bembry participated in a virtual roundtable discussion. As part of an all-athletes panel, he shared his story and advocated for gun safety.

In April, DeAndre’ took part in a virtual school assembly for Toronto’s Huddle Up Bullying Prevention Program. This program aims to curb bullying, discrimination, and racism by fostering an environment of equity, diversity, and inclusion. It also empowers students to act. Bembry’s virtual talk was streamed to thousands of young people in 100 schools throughout Ontario. The goal was to educate students on handling difficult situations and emerging stronger.

Bembry is taking part in the 7th Annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day, featuring in a Wear Orange virtual panel on June 4 to share his family’s story. His unshakeable commitment to safety in the face of gun violence is truly inspiring. It’s remarkable to see how he has transformed a devastating event into a foundation that lends 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 honored with the May NBA Cares Community Assist Award by Kaiser Permanente. This was in recognition of his ongoing dedication to helping youth and families in the larger Phoenix area.

At a Suns home game in May, Booker delighted five local nonprofits by announcing they were the 2020-21 recipients of the Devin Booker Starting Five initiative via a pre-recorded in-game message. Each organization, namely 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 aim to address their pressing financial needs post-pandemic and support their efforts to enhance the lives of local families and youth. To further honor and support the 2020-21 class, Booker and Phoenix Suns Charities launched a limited-edition Devin Booker Starting Five hoodie, featuring the selected nonprofits. These unique hoodies, designed by Booker himself, were available for a limited time, with all sales proceeds going to Phoenix Suns Charities.

The Devin Booker Starting Five, a program that annually donates $500,000 to five different youth-focused nonprofits in Arizona, has selected its second class of organizations. Over a period of five years, this initiative will contribute a total of $2.5 million. The initial group of beneficiaries, which includes 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. Besides the Starting Five program, Booker has shown substantial support to youngsters and families throughout the Valley via COVID-19 relief efforts and holiday shopping events. Moreover, as a Special Olympics Global Ambassador, he is an active advocate 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. This came after he was selected to be an NBA All-Star starter for the fourth year in a row. Embiid, in his ongoing fight against homelessness in Philadelphia, donated $100,000 to three local organizations, namely Youth Services Inc., Project HOME, and Sunday Breakfast Mission. In addition to his generous donation, he supplied 15,000 meals, 4,000 essential clothing items, medical treatment for 1,000 individuals facing housing insecurity, a six-week summer camp experience for 50 homeless youth, and shelter for over 300 teenagers struggling with housing insecurity.

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

A large part of Embiid’s community work in the past year has been centered on providing relief for COVID-19. When the pandemic started, Embiid, together with 76ers’ Managing Partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer, contributed $1.3 million to Penn Medicine. This donation was intended for the development of antibody testing for frontline healthcare professionals. As a continuous show of support for these healthcare workers, he also committed $500,000 to the #FirstRespondersFirst campaign. This initiative by 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, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente.

In November, following his move to the Bucks, Jrue and his wife Lauren collaborated with the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation. Their goal was to pinpoint small businesses, especially those owned by women and Black entrepreneurs, who were in dire need of support. Upon evaluating grant applications, the Holidays unveiled in January that they would be financing seven local businesses, namely, 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 businesses are located in southeastern Wisconsin and offer a diverse range of services like assisted living, home health, childcare, mental health and substance abuse services, hospitality and more.

Holiday is deeply invested in supporting communities that matter to him, as evidenced by his long-term pledges. He committed the remainder 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 financially backing Black-led organizations and enterprises. Earlier in the season, the fund declared its support for 25 non-profit organizations and historically Black institutions. It also supported 23 Black-owned small-scale businesses in Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Indianapolis.

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Damian Lillard

Benefiting Charity: Special Olympics Oregon

Damian Lillard, a guard for the Portland Trail Blazers, was honored with the April NBA Cares Community Assist Award, presented by Kaiser Permanente. This recognizes his ongoing commitment to empowering the youth of Portland.

Since his arrival in Portland in 2012, Lillard has dedicated his efforts to invest in and mentor local high school students through his RESPECT program. The program supports, encourages, and celebrates three local high schools: McDaniel, Parkrose, and Roosevelt. Amidst the global pandemic and the shift to virtual learning, RESPECT adapted to ensure continued student engagement. Lillard committed to maintaining contact with program participants through video visits and showcased students and teachers embodying the program’s principles on his social media platforms. As schools resumed in-person classes, he supplied RESPECT-branded face masks for students and staff involved in the programs.

Lillard introduced a special RESPECT edition of his signature Dame7 shoe, exclusively for the students in the program. The 500 pairs made were designed with the colors of McDaniel, Parkrose, and Roosevelt schools and embodied the three RESPECT principles: Show Up, Work Hard, and Be Kind. Lillard generously gave these shoes to RESPECT’s partner schools as a reward for students who demonstrate these principles and wore the sneakers multiple times during the season. Moreover, Lillard continued his ambassadorship for the Moda Assist Program, a partnership with Moda Health and the Trail Blazers. The program donates $20 for every assist made during the season to contribute to the construction of inclusive playgrounds across Oregon. This year, Astoria has been chosen to receive funds for the development of 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.

Indigenous Basketball Australia, a foundation established by Mills to create opportunities for Aboriginal Australians in basketball, inaugurated the first-ever Indigenous Community Basketball League (ICBL) for participants aged 14 and under in eight Australian locations. The February launch of the league aims to preserve and celebrate Indigenous cultural traditions while emphasizing basketball skill development and life education. This includes mental and physical health, and fostering individual identity at a pivotal age. Furthermore, Mills joined forces with the NBA and Jr. NBA to introduce the National Indigenous Basketball Tournament (NIBT) at Queensland’s Gold Coast from April 11-13. This event will offer 48 boys and girls further development opportunities both on and off the court.

Mills has spent a significant portion of his professional career in the United States focusing on supporting Australia, particularly in empowering Indigenous youth and communities of color. In 2020, he donated his remaining salary for the 2019-20 season to organizations working towards social justice and worked with other prominent Australian athletes to initiate the ‘We Got You’ campaign aimed at eradicating racism, exclusion, and discrimination in sports. Furthermore, Mills coordinated a $750,000 donation from nine other Australian NBA players to support recovery efforts following the catastrophic 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, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. This award recognizes his ongoing work to promote social justice and education advancement during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 NBA seasons.

The Mitchell family made a generous donation of $12 million to Greenwich Country Day School in December, marking the school’s largest single contribution in history. This is the alma mater of Donovan and Jordan Mitchell and where their mother, Nicole, taught for over a decade. The funds will be used to establish the Mitchell Family Scholarship Fund, assisting students from pre-K to 12th grade. It will also create the Nicole Mitchell Faculty Support Fund to aid teachers who share Nicole’s passion for teaching. Additionally, a new athletic center, known as the D.O.N.! The Determination Over Negativity Mitchell Family Athletic Center, will be built. Mitchell further extended his generosity this past summer by donating the proceeds from his Adidas D.O.N. Issue #2 sneakers. The funds, totaling over $300,000, were distributed as scholarships and academic assistance for Jacob Blake’s children, students of color at the University of Louisville, and teachers at preschools in Connecticut and the Bronx.

Mitchell maintained his firm dedication to challenging racial injustice throughout the 2019-20 NBA season restart, and took the conversation further during the offseason. He participated in a discussion on educational, economic, and social disparities with then vice-presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, CJ McCollum of Portland, and Tobias Harris from Philadelphia. Mitchell was also appointed to the inaugural board of the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition. This coalition aims to use basketball’s influence to raise awareness, educate, and lobby for significant reform. In addition, Mitchell consistently contributes to those most disadvantaged through his SPIDACARES organization.

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Larry Nance Jr.

Benefiting Charity: Athletes vs. Chron’s

Larry Nance Jr., a renowned basketball player and community figure from Northeast Ohio, has committed to support local businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. For every regular season game, Larry donates all proceeds from the auction of his game-worn jerseys to pre-chosen local businesses. Additionally, both Larry and the Cavaliers match the proceeds, thereby tripling the donation each small business receives.

Larry’s social media challenge resulted in receiving hundreds of packages from local businesses hoping to be highlighted during his pregame walk-up. Furthermore, the Cavs FieldHouse Creative Team conducts post-game interviews with the small business owners, which are then featured on Cavs digital platforms. This provides fans with a deeper understanding of the businesses and further promotes their story throughout the Northeast Ohio community.

The Cavs season drew to a close with Larry successfully raising over $222k, offering significant exposure to 72 deserving small businesses. The funds raised from Larry’s jersey auction were matched by Cavs corporate partner, Westfield, with a further donation of $100k to the Urban League of Greater Cleveland and the Akron Urban League. Both organizations focus on supporting minority-owned businesses. Additionally, Larry started the Athletes vs Chron’s and Colitis foundation in 2017. This foundation aims to raise awareness of these diseases among young people and helps children to unleash their athletic potential, despite their diagnoses.

Larry utilized his platform amidst the pandemic to delve into the mental and physical repercussions 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 start of the 2020-21 season, Richardson joined the Mavericks and swiftly aimed to make a significant impact in the wider Dallas area. He surprised numerous frontline health care workers from the UT Southwestern Medical Center with Reebok sneakers, team merchandise, and an unexpected video message expressing gratitude for their continuous efforts to ensure community safety. Additionally, Richardson visited a first-grade class in the Dallas Independent School District as a guest reader. He surprised the students and motivated them to value reading and education amidst the unique challenges of this academic year.

Richardson, the son of an Air Force servicewoman, has maintained his involvement with the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. This program offers support and resources to those mourning the loss of a military servicemember. Over the years, he has fostered a strong bond with his mentee, Elijah, through this program. Richardson also made a generous contribution during the holiday season, providing gifts for over 20 families who, like him, have lost a loved one in service.

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Russell Westbrook

Benefiting Charity: Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation

Russell Westbrook continues to impact communities he lives and plays in. As he transitions into a new team market, Westbrook has partnered with the LA Promise Fund to establish the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Academy in his hometown of Los Angeles. This institution, for middle and high school students, aims to improve access to educational services and outdoor activities for children and the wider south Los Angeles community. In 2012, Westbrook established The Why Not? Foundation with the primary aim of offering services to at-risk communities, including education, mental health support, and employment resources. He also encourages young individuals to think creatively, chase their dreams, and remain resilient despite hardship. In November, Westbrook and his foundation collaborated with the L.A. Regional Food Bank to provide Thanksgiving meals for the ninth consecutive year 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, an institution that caters to many students from homeless or unstable housing situations. By February, he had joined Varo Bank as an advisor, aiming to reduce income disparities by implementing programs to enhance financial literacy in the minority community. Besides his direct community involvement, Westbrook has also been proactive in educating communities about the historical injustices suffered by Black people in America.

In April, Russell announced that he was producing a documentary about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, a frequently overlooked and untaught event in American history. The documentary will premiere on May 30.

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