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

The NBA is delighted to declare the 10 contenders for the 2020-21 Season NBA Cares Community Assist Award, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. Every one of these players has demonstrated an extraordinary dedication to their community, making a positive contribution beyond the basketball court.

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Below are the nominees.

DeAndre’ Bembry

Benefiting Charity: AP World

Since beginning his NBA career, DeAndre’ Bembry has committed himself to philanthropy. He founded the AP World organization in memory of his brother Adrien, who tragically fell victim to gun violence just weeks before the 2016 NBA Draft. The organization aims to foster safer communities and provide resources to families to help them manage and recover from grief.

Throughout the year, DeAndre’ has been actively involved with AP World, participating in various charitable activities. These include providing Thanksgiving meals for families, donating new coats to needy children in partnership with Operation Warm for Children’s Aid in Toronto, and giving 500 brand-new pairs of shoes to Boys and Girls Club Youth in Indianapolis in February, in collaboration with Shoes that Fit. Furthermore, leading up to National Gun Violence Survivors week in early February, Bembry took part in a virtual roundtable discussion as part of an all-athlete panel. 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 aim of the program is to thwart bullying, discrimination, and racism by fostering a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion, and to empower students to take action. Bembry’s virtual speech was aired to thousands of young people in over 100 schools across Ontario, demonstrating how to navigate difficult times and emerge stronger.

Bembry is set to participate in a Wear Orange virtual panel to narrate his family’s story on June 4, marking the 7th Annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day. His dedication to safety amidst gun violence is both compelling and inspiring, particularly in how he transformed a devastating event into a foundation that supports 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 acknowledges his ongoing dedication to helping young people and families in the wider Phoenix region.

In May, at a Suns home game, Booker stunned five local nonprofit organizations by announcing via a pre-recorded in-game speech that they were the 2020-21 class of the Devin Booker Starting Five initiative. Each of the organizations – Arizona Autism United, Central Arizona Shelter Services, YMCA of Southern Arizona, GAP Ministries and Elevate Phoenix – received a $100,000 grant from Booker. The funds were intended to address the crucial financial needs following the pandemic and support their respective missions to enhance the lives of local youth and families. To further celebrate and aid the 2020-21 class, Booker and Phoenix Suns Charities designed a limited-edition Devin Booker Starting Five hoodie honoring the chosen nonprofits. These unique hoodies, designed by Booker himself, were on sale for a limited period, with all the proceeds going to Phoenix Suns Charities.

The Devin Booker Starting Five initiative, which annually donates $500,000 to five different youth-serving nonprofits in Arizona, has chosen its second class of five organizations. Over five years, this amounts to a total donation of $2.5 million. The first class, which included 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 in late 2019. Besides the Starting Five initiative, Booker has also offered substantial support to youth and families throughout the Valley via COVID-19 relief and holiday shopping sprees. Furthermore, as a Special Olympics Global Ambassador, he is actively involved in promoting inclusion through sports.

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Joel Embiid

Benefiting Charity: Covenant House Pennsylvania

In March, Philadelphia 76ers center, Joel Embiid, received the Community Assist Award. Following his fourth consecutive recognition as an NBA All-Star starter that same month, Embiid furthered his effort to fight homelessness in Philadelphia. He donated $100,000 to three local organizations – Youth Services Inc., Project HOME, and Sunday Breakfast Mission. In addition, Embiid provided 15,000 meals, 4,000 clothing items, medical treatment for 1,000 people facing housing insecurity, access to a six-week summer camp for 50 young individuals experiencing homelessness, and shelter for over 300 teens dealing with housing insecurity.

Embiid extended his help to local community members by aiding five families that were severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. He supported these families by providing gifts and clothing, groceries, and a year’s worth of rent relief.

Over the past year, a significant portion of Embiid’s community contributions have been centered on COVID-19 relief. When the pandemic first hit, Embiid, in collaboration with 76ers Managing Partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer, made a charitable donation of $1.3 million to Penn Medicine. This funding was aimed at developing antibody tests for frontline healthcare professionals. In a continued show of support for these professionals, Embiid committed a further $500,000 via the #FirstRespondersFirst campaign. This initiative, led by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Thrive Global, and the CAA Foundation, was designed to supply 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 Jrue joined the Bucks, he and his wife Lauren collaborated with the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation. They aimed to identify local businesses in dire need of help, focusing mainly on those owned by women and Black entrepreneurs. Upon evaluating the grant requests, the Holiday family in January announced their financial support for seven businesses. The beneficiaries 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. These businesses, located in southeastern Wisconsin, offer a range of services like assisted living, home health care, childcare, mental health and substance abuse services, hospitality among others.

Holiday has also dedicated himself to assisting communities that are important to him, making long-term commitments such as pledging his entire 2020 NBA salary to establish The Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Justice Fund. This fund aims to fight systemic racism and reduce economic inequality by providing financial assistance and support to Black-led organizations and businesses. In the early part of this season, the fund declared its 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, the guard for the Portland Trail Blazers, was presented with the April NBA Cares Community Assist Award by Kaiser Permanente. This recognition was due to his ongoing work to empower the youth of Portland.

Since moving to Portland in 2012, Lillard has been dedicated to investing in and mentoring local teenagers through his RESPECT program. This initiative supports and celebrates students at three local high schools – McDaniel, Parkrose, and Roosevelt. Amidst the global pandemic and the shift to online learning, the RESPECT program adapted to keep students engaged. Lillard stayed connected with the students through video visits and used his social media platforms to recognize those who exemplified the program’s principles. As schools transitioned back to in-person learning, he supplied RESPECT-branded face masks for students and staff involved in the program.

Lillard launched a unique RESPECT edition of his signature Dame7 shoe specifically for students in the program. The 500 pairs made included the school colors of McDaniel, Parkrose, and Roosevelt and highlighted the three RESPECT principles: Show Up, Work Hard, and Be Kind. Lillard donated the shoes to RESPECT’s affiliated schools to acknowledge students who embody each principle and sported the sneakers on multiple occasions during the season. Besides RESPECT, he maintained his ambassadorship for the Moda Assist Program in collaboration with Moda Health and the Trail Blazers. This program donates $20 for every assist made during the season to support the creation of all-ability inclusive playgrounds across Oregon. This year, Astoria was chosen to receive funds to assist in constructing an all-abilities playground and enrich 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, Indigenous Basketball Australia, established by Mills to create opportunities for Aboriginal Australians in basketball, launched the inaugural Indigenous Community Basketball League (ICBL) for players aged 14 and below in eight different Australian locations. The tournaments are designed to uphold and honor Indigenous cultural practices while emphasizing basketball skills and life education, including mental and physical health, and fostering individual identity during crucial developmental years. Mills also collaborated with the NBA and Jr. NBA to introduce the National Indigenous Basketball Tournament (NIBT) at Queensland’s Gold Coast from April 11-13, which will provide further on- and off-court personal development opportunities for 48 young boys and girls.

Mills has devoted a significant part of his professional career in the U.S. to supporting Australia, particularly in the empowerment of Indigenous youth and communities of color. In 2020, he gave the rest of his 2019-20 season salary to organizations advocating for social justice and initiated the ‘We Got You’ campaign alongside other renowned Australian athletes. This campaign aims to eradicate racism, exclusion, and discrimination within sports. Additionally, Mills coordinated a $750,000 donation from nine Australian NBA players following the destructive bushfires in Australia 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 recognition was for his ongoing work to promote social justice and education during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 NBA seasons.

The Mitchell family donated $12 million to Greenwich Country Day School in December, where Donovan Mitchell and his sister Jordan attended and their mother, Nicole, taught for over ten years. This donation, the largest in the school’s history, will establish the Mitchell Family Scholarship Fund for students from pre-K to 12th grade. It will also support the Nicole Mitchell Faculty Support Fund to aid teachers with a passion for teaching similar to Nicole’s, and contribute to the new D.O.N.! The Determination Over Negativity Mitchell Family Athletic Center. Mitchell also gave the proceeds from his Adidas D.O.N. Issue #2 sneakers to educational causes this past summer. These included support for Jacob Blake’s children’s education, students of color at the University of Louisville, and teachers at preschools in Connecticut and the Bronx, providing over $300,000 in scholarships and academic aid.

Continuing his steadfast dedication to speaking out against racial injustice during the NBA 2019-20 season restart, Mitchell kept the conversation going during the offseason. He joined efforts with Sen. Kamala Harris, who was then a vice-presidential candidate, Portland’s CJ McCollum, and Philadelphia’s Tobias Harris to discuss educational, economic, and social disparities. Mitchell was also appointed to the first board of the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition. This organization aims to use the influence of basketball to raise awareness, educate, and advocate for significant reforms. Additionally, Mitchell regularly 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 beloved basketball and community figure in his hometown of Northeast Ohio, has pledged to support local businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. He has committed to donating all proceeds from the auction of his game-worn jerseys, with each regular season game highlighting a pre-selected local business. Larry and the Cavaliers team both match these proceeds, effectively tripling the donation each small business receives.

Through his social media challenge, Larry was sent hundreds of packages from local businesses keen on being highlighted during his pregame walk-up. Moreover, the Cavs FieldHouse Creative Team conducts post-game interviews with the owners of these small businesses. These interviews are then featured on Cavs’ digital platforms, providing fans with a deeper insight into the business. This also serves to further promote their story within the Northeast Ohio community.

Larry successfully raised over $222k and provided significant visibility for 72 meritorious small businesses as the Cavs season ended. Cavs corporate partner, Westfield, matched the funds raised from Larry’s jersey auction, contributing an additional $100k to the Urban League of Greater Cleveland and the Akron Urban League. These organizations offer support for minority-owned businesses. In an unrelated event in 2017, Larry established the Athletes vs Chron’s and Colitis foundation. The foundation’s mission is to raise awareness of both diseases among young people and help children realize their athletic potential despite these health challenges.

During 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 began, Richardson joined the Mavericks and immediately aimed to make a significant contribution to the Dallas community. He surprised many frontline healthcare workers from UT Southwestern Medical Center with Reebok sneakers, team merchandise, and a surprise video message in which he expressed gratitude for their continuous efforts to ensure community safety. In addition, he visited a first-grade class in the Dallas Independent School District as a guest reader, surprising the students, and inspiring them to appreciate reading and education despite the unique challenges of this academic year.

Richardson, the son of an Air Force servicewoman, has maintained an ongoing involvement with the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, a program that offers support and resources to those mourning the loss of a military servicemember. Over several years, he has formed a deep bond with his mentee, Elijah, in the program. He has also demonstrated his generosity during the holiday season, providing gifts to over 20 families who have experienced the loss of a loved one in the service.

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Russell Westbrook

Benefiting Charity: Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation

Russell Westbrook continues to make a significant impact in the communities where he lives and plays. As he adjusts to a new team market, he has partnered with the LA Promise Fund to establish the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Academy in his hometown of Los Angeles. The academy caters to students from middle school to high school and aims to enhance access to educational services and outdoor activities for children and the broader community in south Los Angeles. In 2012, Westbrook established The Why Not? Foundation with the primary objective of offering services to at-risk groups, including education, mental health resources, and employment tools. The foundation also encourages young people to be innovative, chase their dreams, and remain resilient despite any hurdles they may face. In November, Westbrook and his foundation collaborated with the L.A. Regional Food Bank for the ninth consecutive year to provide Thanksgiving meals to Los Angeles residents.

In December, Russell hosted a unique Christmas sneaker giveaway for all students at The Children’s Guild District of Columbia Public Charter School. This school caters to a significant number of students from homeless or unstable housing situations. Then, in February, Russell became an advisor at Varo Bank with the aim of addressing income disparities through programs aimed at enhancing financial literacy within minority communities. Westbrook does not only engage in direct community outreach, but he also takes the lead in educating communities about the various injustices endured by Black Americans throughout history.

In April, Russell revealed that he was 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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