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

The NBA is delighted to reveal the 10 contenders for the NBA Cares Community Assist Award for the 2020-21 season, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. Each of these players has demonstrated remarkable devotion to their community, creating a 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 been committed to philanthropy. He established the AP World organization in honor of his brother Adrien, who tragically lost his life to gun violence just weeks before the 2016 NBA Draft. AP World’s mission is to foster safer communities and offer families the resources they need to cope with and overcome grief.

Throughout the year, DeAndre’ has been actively involved with AP World, participating in various charitable activities. These include providing Thanksgiving meals to families, partnering with Operation Warm for Children’s Aid in Toronto to distribute brand new coats to needy children, 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 addition, as part of National Gun Violence Survivors week in the early part of February, Bembry took part in a virtual roundtable discussion in a panel composed entirely of athletes. During this event, he shared his personal experiences 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 aims to combat bullying, discrimination, and racism by fostering a culture of fairness, diversity, and inclusion, as well as empowering students to take action. His virtual talk was aired to thousands of young people in 100 Ontario schools, demonstrating how to navigate through tough 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 narrate his family’s experience. His unwavering commitment to safety in the face of gun violence is both undeniable and inspiring, especially in light of how he’s transformed a tragic event into a foundation that aids other families grappling with grief.

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Devin Booker

Benefiting Charity: Phoenix Suns Charities

Devin Booker, guard for the Phoenix Suns, was honored with the NBA Cares Community Assist Award for May, presented by Kaiser Permanente. This award reflects his ongoing dedication to helping young people and families in the wider Phoenix region.

In May, during a Suns home game, Booker unexpectedly announced to five local nonprofit organizations that they were selected for the 2020-21 Devin Booker Starting Five initiative. The announcement came through a pre-recorded address during the game. The organizations – Arizona Autism United, Central Arizona Shelter Services, YMCA of Southern Arizona, GAP Ministries and Elevate Phoenix – each received a $100,000 grant from Booker. The funding aims to overcome the financial challenges caused by the pandemic and supports their work to enhance the lives of local families and youth. In addition, to honor and support the selected nonprofits, Booker and Phoenix Suns Charities launched a limited-edition Devin Booker Starting Five hoodie, designed by Booker himself. The unique hoodies were available for a short time, with all proceeds going to Phoenix Suns Charities.

The Devin Booker Starting Five has selected its second class of five organizations to each receive an annual donation of $500,000. This initiative, offering support to youth-serving nonprofits in Arizona, contributes a total of $2.5 million over five years. The first class, including 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 at the end of 2019. Besides the Starting Five initiative, Booker has also significantly contributed to youth and families in the Valley through COVID-19 relief and holiday shopping sprees. Furthermore, as a Special Olympics Global Ambassador, he actively 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, received the Community Assist Award. This honor came after his fourth consecutive year of being named an NBA All-Star starter. Embiid used this as an opportunity to escalate his fight against homelessness in Philadelphia, donating $100,000 to three local organizations: Youth Services Inc., Project HOME, and Sunday Breakfast Mission. His contributions included providing 15,000 meals to those in need, distributing 4,000 essential clothing items, providing medical treatment for 1,000 individuals with housing insecurity, sponsoring a six-week summer camp for 50 homeless youths, and ensuring shelter for over 300 teens facing housing insecurity.

Embiid showed his support for local community members by helping five families greatly 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 a great deal of his community work on COVID-19 relief. At the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, 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 tests for frontline healthcare workers. Continuing his support for healthcare workers, he committed $500,000 through the #FirstRespondersFirst campaign. This campaign, a joint initiative by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Thrive Global, and the CAA Foundation, works towards providing PPE to frontline workers.

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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.

In November, after becoming a part of the Bucks, Jrue and Lauren Holiday collaborated with the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation. Their goal was to pinpoint small businesses, specifically those owned by women and the Black community that were most in need of help. After perusing through grant applications, the Holiday family, in January, declared their financial support for 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 include assisted living, home health, childcare, mental health and substance abuse services, hospitality among others.

Holiday has pledged his long-term support to communities that matter to him. This includes committing the rest of his 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 assistance and support to Black-led organizations and enterprises. Earlier this season, the fund declared its support for 25 non-profits and historically Black institutions, together 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, a guard for the Portland Trail Blazers, was honored with the April NBA Cares Community Assist Award, presented by Kaiser Permanente. This was in recognition of his ongoing endeavors to empower the youth of Portland.

Since his arrival in Portland in 2012, Lillard has been actively investing and mentoring local teenagers through his RESPECT program. This initiative, which supports and celebrates McDaniel, Parkrose, and Roosevelt high schools, focuses on encouraging local youth. Amid the global pandemic and the shift to online learning, the RESPECT program was adapted to maintain student engagement. Lillard made an effort to communicate with participants virtually through video visits. He used his social media platforms to spotlight students and teachers who embodied the program’s principles. As schools transitioned back to in-person learning, he supplied students and staff involved in the RESPECT programs with branded face masks.

Lillard introduced a special RESPECT edition of his Dame7 shoe, exclusively for students in the program. The 500 pairs made featured the school colors of McDaniel, Parkrose, and Roosevelt. They were also designed to represent the three RESPECT principles: Show Up, Work Hard, and Be Kind. Lillard donated these shoes to RESPECT’s partner schools to honor students exemplifying these principles. He also wore these sneakers several times during the season. Besides RESPECT, Lillard continued his role as ambassador for the Moda Assist Program, in collaboration with Moda Health and the Trail Blazers. This program pledges $20 for every assist made during the season to fund the construction of accessible playgrounds throughout Oregon. This year, Astoria was chosen to receive funds to construct a playground suitable for all abilities, which will boost 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 ever in eight locations across Australia. The ICBL, organized by Indigenous Basketball Australia (founded by Mills), targets players aged 14 and under and aims to create pathways for Aboriginal Australians to play basketball. The tournaments not only preserve and celebrate Indigenous cultural practices but also emphasize on basketball skill development and life skills education. These include mental and physical wellness and strengthening individual identity during a critical age. Furthermore, Mills collaborated with the NBA and Jr. NBA to organize the National Indigenous Basketball Tournament (NIBT) on the Gold Coast in Queensland from April 11-13. This will provide 48 boys and girls with additional on- and off-court development opportunities.

Mills has committed a significant portion of his professional career in the United States to contributing back to Australia, specifically focusing on uplifting Indigenous youths and communities of color. In 2020, he contributed the rest of his 2019-20 season salary to organizations advocating for social justice and co-launched the ‘We Got You’ campaign along with other renowned Australian athletes. This campaign aims to eradicate racism, exclusion, and discrimination in sports. Following the disastrous Australian bushfires earlier that year, Mills coordinated 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 honored with the Offseason NBA Cares Community Assist Award, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. This award was given in appreciation of his continuous work towards promoting social justice and advocating for education during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 NBA seasons.

In December, the Mitchell family made a historical $12 million donation to Greenwich Country Day School, the alma mater of Donovan and Jordan Mitchell, and the place where their mother, Nicole, taught for over ten years. This donation, the largest single gift in the school’s history, will establish the Mitchell Family Scholarship Fund to help students from pre-K to 12th grade. Additionally, the Nicole Mitchell Faculty Support Fund will be set up to aid teachers who show a passion for teaching on par with Nicole’s. The donation will also go towards the creation of the D.O.N.! The Determination Over Negativity Mitchell Family Athletic Center. Moreover, proceeds from Mitchell’s Adidas D.O.N. Issue #2 sneakers, sold this past summer, were donated to support educational endeavors. These funds, totaling over $300,000, benefitted Jacob Blake’s children’s education, students of color at the University of Louisville, and teachers in Connecticut and the Bronx preschools, in the form of scholarships and academic assistance.

Mitchell continued to advocate against racial injustice during the 2019-20 NBA season restart, and carried on the conversation into the offseason. He collaborated with then vice-presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, CJ McCollum from Portland, and Tobias Harris from Philadelphia for a discussion about educational, economic, and social disparities. Mitchell was also appointed to the first board of the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition, an organization that uses the influence of the game to raise awareness, educate, and advocate for significant reform. In addition, he consistently supports those in need through his SPIDACARES organization.

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Larry Nance Jr.

Benefiting Charity: Athletes vs. Chron’s

Larry Nance Jr., a Northeast Ohio native and revered basketball and community figure, has committed to supporting the region’s small businesses adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Larry pledged to donate all the proceeds from the auction of his game-worn jerseys for each regular season game to pre-chosen local businesses. Larry, in conjunction with the Cavs, matches these proceeds, thereby tripling the amount of donation that each small business receives.

Larry’s social media challenge led to hundreds of local businesses sending him packages, hoping to get featured during his pregame walk-up. Following the game, the Cavs FieldHouse Creative Team conducts interviews with these small business owners. These interviews are then shared on Cavs’ digital platforms, providing fans an in-depth look into these businesses and promoting their stories throughout the Northeast Ohio community.

As the season of the Cavs wound down, Larry successfully raised more than $222k, significantly benefiting 72 deserving small businesses by providing them essential exposure. Furthermore, Cavs corporate partner Westfield generously matched the amount raised from Larry’s jersey auction, contributing an extra $100K to the Urban League of Greater Cleveland and the Akron Urban League. Both these organizations support minority-owned enterprises. Back in 2017, Larry had also initiated the Athletes vs Chron’s and Colitis foundation with the intention of raising awareness about these diseases among young people, and inspiring children to pursue their athletic dreams, regardless of their diagnoses.

Throughout the pandemic, Larry utilized his platform to explore 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 promptly aimed to make a difference in the larger Dallas area. He surprised numerous frontline health care workers from UT Southwestern Medical Center with Reebok sneakers, team merchandise, and an unexpected video message expressing gratitude for their continuous efforts to ensure the community’s safety. Richardson also visited a first-grade class in the Dallas Independent School District as a guest reader. He surprised and inspired the students to value reading and education amidst the unique challenges of this school year.

Richardson, being the son of an Air Force servicewoman, has consistently collaborated with the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. This program aids families and friends of deceased servicemembers by providing comfort, care, and resources. Over the years, he has fostered a close bond with his mentee, Elijah, through the program. During the festive season, he extended his generosity by providing gifts to over 20 families who had also experienced the loss of a servicemember.

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Russell Westbrook

Benefiting Charity: Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation

Russell Westbrook is forging a legacy in the communities he resides and plays in. Having recently moved to a new team market, he collaborated with the LA Promise Fund to establish the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Academy in his birth city, Los Angeles. The academy, catering to middle school and high school students, aims to enhance access to educational services and outdoor activities for kids and the wider community in south Los Angeles. In 2012, Westbrook established The Why Not? Foundation, with the ultimate aim of offering services to vulnerable groups, including education, mental health resources, and workforce tools. The foundation also motivates young people to think creatively, chase their dreams and never give up, despite facing challenges. In November, Westbrook and his foundation joined forces with the L.A. Regional Food Bank to hand out 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, a school that caters to many students coming from homeless or unstable housing situations. Following this, in February, he collaborated with Varo Bank in an advisory role to address income disparities by initiating programs to enhance financial literacy within the minority community. Moreover, Westbrook has not only been actively involved in community outreach but has also been proactive in educating communities about the numerous injustices endured by Black people in America throughout history.

In April, Russell revealed his plan 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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