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

The NBA is delighted to reveal the ten candidates for the 2020-21 NBA Cares Community Assist Award, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. Each of these players has demonstrated an outstanding dedication to their community, making a significant positive influence beyond the basketball court.

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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 as a tribute to his brother Adrien, who tragically lost his life to gun violence just weeks before the 2016 NBA Draft. The organization aims to create safer communities and offer resources to families for managing and dealing with grief.

Throughout the year, DeAndre’ has collaborated with AP World on various initiatives. These include providing Thanksgiving meals for families, partnering with Operation Warm for Children’s Aid in Toronto to distribute brand new coats for needy kids, and giving away 500 pairs of brand-new shoes to the Boys & Girls Club Youth in Indianapolis in February, in collaboration with Shoes that Fit. Bembry also participated in a virtual roundtable discussion with an all-athletes panel prior to National Gun Violence Survivors week in the first week of February, where he shared his 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. This program aims to combat bullying, discrimination, and racism by fostering a culture of equality, diversity, and inclusion. It also empowers students to take action. Bembry’s online presentation was streamed to thousands of young people in 100 schools across Ontario, demonstrating 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 dedication to safety in the face of gun violence is both undeniable and inspiring. Bembry 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 honored with the May NBA Cares Community Assist Award, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. The award acknowledges his ongoing dedication to helping young people and families in the wider Phoenix area.

In May, during a Suns home game, Booker unexpectedly announced the five local nonprofit organizations that make up the 2020-21 class of the Devin Booker Starting Five initiative. These include Arizona Autism United, Central Arizona Shelter Services, YMCA of Southern Arizona, GAP Ministries, and Elevate Phoenix. Each received a $100,000 grant from Booker to help with critical funding needs after the pandemic and support their work to better the lives of local youth and families. As an added celebration and benefit for the 2020-21 class, Booker and Phoenix Suns Charities created a limited-edition hoodie featuring 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, which annually donates $500,000 to five different youth-serving nonprofits in Arizona, has designated five organizations as its second class. Over a span of five years, this initiative will contribute a total of $2.5 million. The first class 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. Beyond his Starting Five initiative, Booker has extended considerable support to youth and families in the Valley through COVID-19 relief efforts and holiday shopping sprees. As a Special Olympics Global Ambassador, he actively champions inclusion through sport.

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Joel Embiid

Benefiting Charity: Covenant House Pennsylvania

In March, Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers center, was recognized with the Community Assist Award. After being selected as an NBA All-Star starter for the fourth year in a row that same month, Embiid persisted in his fight against homelessness in Philadelphia. He made a generous donation of $100,000 to three local organizations: Youth Services Inc., Project HOME, and Sunday Breakfast Mission. Furthermore, he supplied 15,000 meals to the needy, handed out 4,000 essential clothing items, provided medical care for 1,000 individuals lacking stable housing, facilitated a six-week summer camp for 50 homeless youths, and offered shelter to over 300 teenagers struggling with housing instability.

Embiid showed his support for local community members by helping 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, a significant portion of Embiid’s community work has been dedicated to COVID-19 relief. When the pandemic began, Embiid collaborated with 76ers Managing Partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer to contribute $1.3 million to Penn Medicine for the advancement of antibody testing for frontline healthcare workers. He continued his support for these workers by committing $500,000 through the #FirstRespondersFirst campaign. This initiative, led 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

The January NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente was jointly won by Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday and Dallas Mavericks guard Josh Richardson.

Jrue and his wife Lauren joined hands with the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation in November after Jrue became a part of the Bucks. The aim was to identify women- and Black-owned small businesses that were in dire need of assistance. After going through grant applications, the Holiday family, in January, declared their decision to 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 businesses, located in southeastern Wisconsin, provide a range of services such as assisted living, home health, childcare, mental health and substance abuse services, hospitality and more.

Holiday is deeply committed to supporting communities that matter to him. This includes pledging his entire 2020 NBA salary to establish The Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Justice Fund. This fund aims to fight systemic racism and promote economic equality by funding and supporting Black-led organizations and businesses. Earlier this season, the fund declared its support for 25 non-profits and historically Black institutions. It also supports 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, a guard for the Portland Trail Blazers, was honored with the April NBA Cares Community Assist Award, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. This was in recognition of his ongoing work to empower the youth of Portland.

Since moving to Portland in 2012, Lillard has dedicated his time to mentor and invest in local high school students through his RESPECT program. This program supports and celebrates three Portland-area high schools – McDaniel, Parkrose, and Roosevelt. This year, despite the global pandemic and the shift to virtual learning, RESPECT adapted to maintain engagement with the students. Lillard committed to virtual visits to stay in touch with participants and used his social media platforms to spotlight students and teachers who embodied the program’s principles. As schools transitioned back to in-person learning, Lillard supplied RESPECT branded face masks for students and staff involved in the programs.

Lillard launched a special RESPECT edition of his Dame7 shoe exclusively for students in the program. The limited 500 pairs were created with colors from McDaniel, Parkrose, and Roosevelt schools and embodied the three RESPECT principles: Show Up, Work Hard, and Be Kind. Lillard donated these shoes to RESPECT’s partner schools as rewards for students demonstrating these principles and sported the sneakers several times during the season. Besides RESPECT, Lillard also continued his ambassadorship for the Moda Assist Program, a partnership with Moda Health and the Trail Blazers, which contributes $20 per assist made during the season to enhance inclusive playgrounds across Oregon. This year, Astoria was chosen to receive funds to support the construction of 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.

Indigenous Basketball Australia, a foundation created by Mills to open up basketball opportunities for Aboriginal Australians, launched its inaugural Indigenous Community Basketball League (ICBL) in February. The league, aimed at players aged 14 and under, was held in eight different Australian locations. These tournaments not only promoted basketball development and life skills education but also sought to uphold and honor Indigenous cultural practices. They emphasized mental and physical health, as well as the enhancement of personal identity during a pivotal age. Furthermore, Mills teamed up with the NBA and the Jr. NBA to unveil the National Indigenous Basketball Tournament (NIBT). Taking place from April 11-13 on the Gold Coast in Queensland, the tournament will offer 48 boys and girls further opportunities for both on- and off-court development.

Mills has spent a significant part of his professional sports career in the United States contributing to Australia, specifically aiming to empower Indigenous youth and communities of color. In 2020, he gave the rest of his 2019-20 season earnings to social justice groups and played a key role in initiating the ‘We Got You’ campaign along with other renowned Australian athletes. This campaign is aimed at eradicating racism, exclusion, and discrimination within sports. Following the disastrous 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 accolade recognized his ongoing work to promote social justice and education during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 NBA seasons.

In December, the Mitchell family made a $12 million donation to Greenwich Country Day School, the alma mater of Donovan and his sister Jordan, and where their mother, Nicole Mitchell, taught for over a decade. This was the largest single donation ever made to the school, and it will be used to establish the Mitchell Family Scholarship Fund to aid students from pre-K to 12th grade, the Nicole Mitchell Faculty Support Fund to support teachers who share Nicole’s passion for teaching, and the D.O.N.! The Determination Over Negativity Mitchell Family Athletic Center. In addition to this, Mitchell donated the proceeds from his Adidas D.O.N. Issue #2 sneakers last summer, which amounted to over $300,000. These funds were used to support the education of Jacob Blake’s children, students of color at the University of Louisville, and teachers at preschools in Connecticut and the Bronx, providing scholarships and academic aid.

Mitchell remained steadfast in his commitment to addressing racial injustice during the 2019-20 NBA season restart. He furthered this conversation in the offseason, discussing educational, economic, and social disparities with then vice-presidential candidate Senator Kamala Harris, CJ McCollum from Portland, and Tobias Harris from Philadelphia. Mitchell was also appointed to the first board of the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition. The organization intends to use the influence of the game to raise awareness, provide education, and advocate for impactful reform. In addition, he consistently offers assistance to those most vulnerable via his SPIDACARES organization.

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Larry Nance Jr.

Benefiting Charity: Athletes vs. Chron’s

Larry Nance Jr., a beloved basketball figure and community leader in his home region of Northeast Ohio, has stepped up in response to the severe blow COVID-19 has dealt to small businesses. Larry has pledged to use each regular season game as a platform to support pre-chosen local businesses by donating all proceeds from the auction of his game-worn jerseys. In addition to Larry’s contributions, the Cavs also match the proceeds, thereby tripling the donation each small business receives.

Larry’s social media challenge resulted in hundreds of packages from local businesses keen on being spotlighted during his pregame walk-up. The Cavs FieldHouse Creative Team also conducts post-game interviews with these small business owners, which are then featured on Cavs’ digital platforms. This initiative provides fans with a more comprehensive understanding of these businesses and effectively promotes their stories throughout the Northeast Ohio community.

Larry raised over $222k and gave 72 worthy small businesses significant exposure as the Cavs season ended. Additionally, the Cavs’ corporate partner, Westfield, matched the amount raised from Larry’s jersey auction with a donation of $100K. This generous contribution was given to the Urban League of Greater Cleveland and the Akron Urban League, organizations that support minority-owned businesses. In an unrelated venture in 2017, Larry founded the Athletes vs Chron’s and Colitis foundation. This organization is dedicated to raising awareness about these diseases among teenagers and helping young athletes reach their full potential despite their diagnoses.

During the pandemic, Larry leveraged his platform 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 start of the 2020-21 season, Richardson joined the Mavericks and swiftly made an effort to have a significant influence in the wider Dallas area. He surprised numerous frontline health care workers from UT Southwestern Medical Center by giving them Reebok sneakers, team merchandise, and a video message expressing gratitude for their continuous efforts in maintaining community safety. Richardson also paid a visit to a first grade class in the Dallas Independent School District as a guest reader, unexpectedly delighting the students and inspiring them to value reading and education amidst the unique challenges of the current 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 servicemember. Over the years, Richardson has formed a strong bond with his mentee, Elijah, through this program. During the festive season, he extended his generosity to over 20 families who have also experienced the loss of a servicemember, providing them with gifts.

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Russell Westbrook

Benefiting Charity: Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation

Russell Westbrook continues to make a difference in the communities he resides in and plays for. Upon joining a new team market, Westbrook collaborated with the LA Promise Fund to establish the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Academy in his native Los Angeles. The academy, catering to middle and high school students, aims to improve access to educational services and outdoor activities for children and the broader community in south Los Angeles. In 2012, Russell established The Why Not? Foundation with the ultimate objective of providing services to vulnerable groups, including education, mental health support and employment tools, and inspiring young people to think creatively, chase their dreams and persevere, regardless of the odds against them. In November, Russell and his foundation teamed up 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. This school serves many students who are homeless or live in unstable housing. In February, Russell became an advisor at Varo Bank, aiming to address income disparities through initiatives that enhance financial literacy within minority communities. Besides his direct community involvement, Westbrook has also been proactive in raising awareness about the numerous injustices that Black Americans have suffered throughout history.

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

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