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

The NBA is thrilled to unveil the ten candidates for the NBA Cares Community Assist Award, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, for the 2020-21 Season. Each of these players has demonstrated exceptional dedication to their community and positive influence outside the basketball court.

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Below are the nominees.

DeAndre’ Bembry

Benefiting Charity: AP World

Since the beginning of his NBA career, DeAndre’ Bembry has been committed to philanthropy. He established the AP World organization in memory of his brother Adrien, who tragically lost his life to gun violence just weeks before the 2016 NBA Draft. AP World is aimed at promoting safer communities and offering families the resources they need to cope with and recover from grief.

Throughout the year, DeAndre’ has been actively involved with AP World, dedicating his time to various 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 brand-new shoes to the Boys & Girls Club Youth in Indianapolis in February, in collaboration with Shoes that Fit. In the first week of February, prior to National Gun Violence Survivors week, Bembry also took part in a virtual roundtable discussion. During this all-athletes panel, he shared his personal experiences and advocated for gun safety.

In April, DeAndre’ joined 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 equity, diversity, and inclusion, and empowering students to act. Bembry’s online presentation was aired to thousands of young people in over 100 Ontario schools, demonstrating how to navigate tough situations and emerge stronger.

Bembry is taking part in a Wear Orange virtual panel to share his family’s story on June 4, as part of the 7th Annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day. His unwavering commitment to safety in the face of gun violence is not only undeniable, but also inspiring. It’s remarkable to see how he has transformed a devastating experience into a foundation that provides support to other families grappling with grief.

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Devin Booker

Benefiting Charity: Phoenix Suns Charities

The May NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente was given to Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker. This award recognizes his ongoing dedication to assisting youth and families in the larger Phoenix area.

In May, five local nonprofit organizations were pleasantly surprised by Booker at a Suns home game. Through an in-game, pre-recorded message, he announced that these organizations were part of the 2020-21 class of the Devin Booker Starting Five initiative. The organizations – Arizona Autism United, Central Arizona Shelter Services, YMCA of Southern Arizona, GAP Ministries and Elevate Phoenix – were each given a $100,000 grant by Booker. The funds were aimed at addressing the financial needs that arose due to the pandemic and to assist in their efforts to better the lives of local youth and families. To further celebrate and support the 2020-21 class, a limited-edition Devin Booker Starting Five hoodie was created by Booker and the Phoenix Suns Charities. The unique hoodies, designed by Booker, were available for a short period for purchase, with all proceeds going to the Phoenix Suns Charities.

The five organizations are part of the Devin Booker Starting Five’s second class, which gives $500,000 each year to five different youth-focused nonprofits in Arizona. This amounts to a $2.5 million donation over five years. The first class, including 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. Booker has also offered substantial support to youth and families across the Valley through COVID-19 relief efforts and holiday shopping sprees, in addition to his Starting Five initiative. As a Special Olympics Global Ambassador, he is a strong advocate for inclusion in sports.

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Joel Embiid

Benefiting Charity: Covenant House Pennsylvania

Joel Embiid, the center for the Philadelphia 76ers, received the Community Assist Award in March. In addition to being named a starter for the NBA All-Star game for the fourth year in a row, Embiid donated $100,000 to three Philadelphia organizations: Youth Services Inc., Project HOME, and Sunday Breakfast Mission. His donation was aimed at addressing homelessness in Philadelphia. Additionally, he delivered 15,000 meals, distributed 4,000 essential clothing items, provided medical treatment for 1,000 people facing housing insecurity, gave 50 young individuals experiencing homelessness access to a six-week summer camp, and offered shelter to over 300 teens dealing with housing insecurity.

Embiid showed his support for the local community by helping five families severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. He provided each family with gifts and clothing, groceries, and rent relief for the upcoming year.

Embiid’s community efforts over the past year have predominantly been centered on COVID-19 relief. As the pandemic began, he united with 76ers Managing Partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer to contribute $1.3 million to Penn Medicine, aimed at developing antibody tests for frontline healthcare personnel. In addition, as a part of his ongoing backing for healthcare workers, he committed $500,000 through the #FirstRespondersFirst campaign. This initiative, led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Thrive Global, and the CAA Foundation, is 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, guard for the Milwaukee Bucks, and Josh Richardson, guard for the Dallas Mavericks, co-received the January NBA Cares Community Assist Award, which is presented by Kaiser Permanente.

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

Holiday has also demonstrated his dedication to supporting communities that matter to him, by pledging the rest of his 2020 NBA salary to establish The Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Justice Fund. This initiative aims to fight systemic racism and boost economic equality by offering financial assistance and backing to Black-led organizations and businesses. Earlier in the season, the fund declared its support for 25 non-profits and historically Black institutions, alongside 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 awarded the April NBA Cares Community Assist Award by Kaiser Permanente. This was in acknowledgement of his ongoing efforts to empower the youth of Portland.

Since his arrival in Portland in 2012, Lillard has been actively investing in and mentoring local high school students through his RESPECT program. This initiative supports, encourages, and celebrates students from three local high schools – McDaniel, Parkrose, and Roosevelt. In light of the global pandemic and the shift to virtual learning, the RESPECT program adapted to maintain engagement with its students. Lillard made a commitment to stay in touch with the participants through video calls and used his social media platforms to recognize students and teachers who embodied the program’s principles. As schools resumed face-to-face learning, Lillard supplied RESPECT-branded face masks for students and staff involved in the program.

Lillard unveiled a unique RESPECT version of his Dame7 shoe, exclusively for program students. The 500 created pairs incorporated the school colors of McDaniel, Parkrose, and Roosevelt, and highlighted the three RESPECT principles: Show Up, Work Hard, and Be Kind. The shoes were gifted to RESPECT’s affiliated schools to reward students embodying these principles and Lillard wore the sneakers multiple times throughout the season. Lillard also carried on his ambassadorship for the Moda Assist Program, in collaboration with Moda Health and the Trail Blazers, which donates $20 for every assist made in a season to fund all-inclusive playgrounds in Oregon. This year, funds have been allocated to the city of Astoria to aid in constructing an all-abilities playground, thereby enhancing 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) had its inaugural season, organized by Indigenous Basketball Australia. This organization, founded by Mills, aims to give Aboriginal Australians opportunities to play basketball. With eight locations throughout Australia, the league offers games for players aged 14 and under. The tournaments maintain and celebrate Indigenous cultural traditions, while also emphasizing basketball skills and lessons in life skills, such as mental and physical health and identity development at a crucial age. Moreover, Mills joined forces with the NBA and the Jr. NBA to launch the National Indigenous Basketball Tournament (NIBT) on the Gold Coast in Queensland from April 11-13. This event will grant 48 boys and girls further chances for development both on and off the court.

Mills has committed a large part of his career as a professional athlete in the United States to supporting his homeland, Australia. His efforts are primarily focused on uplifting Indigenous youngsters and communities of color. In 2020, he donated his remaining salary for the 2019-20 season to organizations advocating for social justice and initiated the ‘We Got You’ campaign, in cooperation with other renowned Australian athletes, aimed at abolishing racism, exclusion, and discrimination in sports. Following the disastrous Australian bushfires earlier that year, Mills orchestrated a donation of $750,000 from nine other 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 by Kaiser Permanente. This award recognizes his ongoing work in promoting social justice and advocating for education during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 NBA seasons.

The Mitchell family pledged a record-breaking single donation of $12 million to Greenwich Country Day School in December. This school is not only the alma mater of Donovan and his sister Jordan, but also where their mother, Nicole, spent over a decade teaching. The funds will be allocated to the Mitchell Family Scholarship Fund, benefiting students from pre-K through 12th grade, and the Nicole Mitchell Faculty Support Fund, aimed at supporting teachers who share Nicole’s passion for education. Additionally, a portion of the funds will go towards the new D.O.N.! The Determination Over Negativity Mitchell Family Athletic Center. Mitchell further demonstrated his philanthropy over the past summer by donating the proceeds from his Adidas D.O.N. Issue #2 sneakers, totaling over $300,000. This money was 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.

Mitchell maintained his outspoken stance against racial injustice from the 2019-20 NBA season restart and into the offseason. He joined forces with then vice-presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, CJ McCollum from Portland and Philadelphia’s Tobias Harris to discuss educational, economic, and social disparities. In addition, Mitchell was appointed to the first board of the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition. This organization aims to use the influence of the game to raise awareness, educate, and advocate for significant reforms. Mitchell also consistently supports those in need through his SPIDACARES organization.

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Larry Nance Jr.

Benefiting Charity: Athletes vs. Chron’s

Northeast Ohio’s native son, Larry Nance Jr, is highly regarded as a local basketball and community champion. Amidst the severe impact of COVID-19 on small businesses, Larry pledged to support pre-selected local businesses through each regular season game. He decided to donate all the proceeds from the auction of his game-worn jerseys. In addition, both Larry and his team, the Cavs, match these proceeds, thereby tripling the donation received by each small business.

Larry received hundreds of packages from local businesses keen on featuring during his pregame walk-up, thanks to his social media challenge. Furthermore, the Cavs FieldHouse Creative Team conducts post-game interviews with these small business owners. These are showcased on Cavs’ digital platforms, giving fans an in-depth insight into the business and amplifying their story throughout the Northeast Ohio community.

Larry raised over $222k and gave 72 deserving small businesses invaluable exposure as the Cavs season ended. Furthermore, Cavs corporate partner Westfield matched the money raised from Larry’s jersey auction by donating an additional $100K to the Urban League of Greater Cleveland and the Akron Urban League, both of which support minority-owned businesses. In a separate venture in 2017, Larry started the Athletes vs Chron’s and Colitis foundation to raise disease awareness among teenagers and help children realize their athletic potential despite their diagnoses.

Larry utilized his platform amid the pandemic 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 2020-21 season started, Richardson joined the Mavericks and immediately endeavored to positively impact the larger Dallas area. He surprised dozens of UT Southwestern Medical Center’s frontline healthcare workers with gifts of Reebok sneakers, team merchandise, and a surprise thank-you video for their continuous efforts to keep the community safe. Richardson also visited a first-grade class in the Dallas Independent School District as a guest reader, where he surprised the students and motivated them to value reading and education during this challenging school year.

Richardson, son of an Air Force servicewoman, has maintained his involvement with the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. This program offers support, comfort, and resources to relatives and friends mourning the loss of a servicemember. Over the years, he has fostered a tight-knit bond with his mentee, Elijah, through this program. During the festive season, he gave presents to 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 make a significant impact on the communities where he lives and plays. As he settles into a new team market, he has partnered with the LA Promise Fund to establish the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Academy in his native Los Angeles. Catering to students from middle school to high school, this academy aims to improve access to education and outdoor activities for children and the wider community in south Los Angeles. Westbrook founded The Why Not? Foundation in 2012 with a mission to provide services to vulnerable groups, including education, mental health support and workforce resources. It encourages young people to think innovatively, chase their dreams and persist despite adversity. In November, for the ninth consecutive year, Westbrook and his foundation collaborated with the L.A. Regional Food Bank to provide Thanksgiving meals 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 from homeless or unstable housing situations. Then, in February, he teamed up with Varo Bank in an advisory role to help address income disparities by promoting financial literacy programs within minority communities. Along with his immediate community involvement, Westbrook has also been proactive in educating communities about the various injustices that Black people have historically suffered in America.

In April, Russell announced he was creating a documentary about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, a frequently ignored and rarely taught event in American history. The documentary is set to premiere on May 30.

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