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

The NBA is delighted to reveal the ten contenders for the 2020-21 NBA Cares Community Assist Award, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. Each of these athletes has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to their respective communities and made a significant positive contribution beyond the court.

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Below are the nominees.

DeAndre’ Bembry

Benefiting Charity: AP World

Since his NBA career began, DeAndre’ Bembry has shown a strong commitment to philanthropy. He founded 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. The organization aims to build safer communities and offer support to families dealing with grief.

Throughout the year, DeAndre has been actively involved with AP World, participating in numerous philanthropic activities. These include providing Thanksgiving meals for families, partnering with Operation Warm for Children’s Aid in Toronto to donate new coats for children in need, and giving 500 pairs of brand new shoes to the Boys & Girls Club Youth in Indianapolis in February in collaboration with Shoes that Fit. Furthermore, in the lead-up to the National Gun Violence Survivors week in early February, Bembry took part in a virtual roundtable discussion with an all-athletes panel where he shared his personal story and advocated for gun safety.

In April, DeAndre’ took part in a virtual assembly for Toronto’s Huddle Up Bullying Prevention Program. This program is designed to combat bullying, racism, and discrimination by fostering a culture of equality, diversity, and inclusion. It also empowers students to take action. Bembry’s virtual talk was streamed to thousands of young people in 100 schools across Ontario, aiming to teach students how to navigate challenging times and emerge stronger.

Bembry is set to participate in a Wear Orange virtual panel on June 4, in conjunction with the 7th Annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day, sharing his family’s story. His unwavering commitment to safety in the face of gun violence is both undeniable and inspiring, especially considering how he has transformed a personal tragedy into a foundation that offers 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. This award recognizes his ongoing dedication to helping families and young people in the larger Phoenix area.

In May, at a Suns home game, Booker shocked five local nonprofits by announcing through a pre-recorded in-game address that they were the chosen recipients for the 2020-21 Devin Booker Starting Five initiative. Arizona Autism United, Central Arizona Shelter Services, YMCA of Southern Arizona, GAP Ministries, and Elevate Phoenix each received a $100,000 grant from Booker. This funding aims to address the critical financial needs that arose from the pandemic and help these organizations improve the lives of local youth and families. In honor of the 2020-21 class, Booker partnered with Phoenix Suns Charities to create a limited-edition Devin Booker Starting Five hoodie, designed by Booker himself. These unique hoodies were temporarily sold, with all proceeds going to Phoenix Suns Charities.

The Devin Booker Starting Five donates $500,000 every year to five different youth-oriented nonprofits in Arizona. These five organizations make up the second class of this initiative, which is set to donate a total of $2.5 million over five years. 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 towards the end of 2019. Besides the Starting Five initiative, Booker has been a significant contributor to youth and families in the Valley, helping with COVID-19 relief and holiday shopping sprees. As a Special Olympics Global Ambassador, he is also active in promoting inclusivity through 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. Following his fourth consecutive year as an NBA All-Star starter, Embiid continued his fight against homelessness in Philadelphia. He donated $100,000 to three local organizations: Youth Services Inc., Project HOME, and Sunday Breakfast Mission. Embiid also provided 15,000 meals, 4,000 essential clothing items, medical treatment for 1,000 individuals with housing insecurity, a six-week summer camp for 50 homeless youths, and shelter for over 300 teenagers struggling with 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, as well as groceries and a year’s worth of rent relief.

Embiid has been heavily involved in community efforts, particularly focusing on COVID-19 relief in the past year. When the COVID-19 pandemic started, he teamed up with Josh Harris and David Blitzer, the 76ers Managing Partners, to contribute $1.3 million to Penn Medicine for the development of antibody testing for frontline healthcare workers. Embiid continued his support for these workers by pledging $500,000 to 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

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 member of the Bucks, Jrue and his wife Lauren collaborated with the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation. Their aim was to identify small businesses, particularly those owned by women and black entrepreneurs, that required the most help. After evaluating grant applications, the Holiday family disclosed in January that they would be funding 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 diverse services in southeastern Wisconsin. These services range from assisted living, home health and childcare, to mental health and substance abuse services, hospitality, and beyond.

Holiday has also committed to helping communities that matter to him in the long term. This includes a pledge of his entire 2020 NBA salary to establish The Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Justice Fund. The fund’s mission is to fight systemic racism and bridge economic inequality by supporting and funding Black-led organizations and businesses. Earlier in the season, the fund declared its support for 25 non-profits and historically Black institutions, as well as 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. Kaiser Permanente presented the award to acknowledge his ongoing efforts to uplift the youth of Portland.

After landing in Portland in 2012, Lillard has dedicated his efforts to invest in and mentor high school-aged youth via his RESPECT program. The program is designed to support, encourage, and celebrate students from three local high schools – McDaniel, Parkrose, and Roosevelt. In the face of the global pandemic and the shift to virtual learning, the RESPECT program adapted to stay connected with the students. Lillard held video calls as a means to keep in touch with the program participants remotely and used his social media platforms to spotlight students and teachers who embodied the program’s values. When schools reopened for in-person learning, Lillard supplied RESPECT-branded face masks for the students and staff engaged in the programs.

Lillard launched a unique RESPECT version of his Dame7 shoe exclusively for students in the program. The 500 pairs made included the school colors of McDaniel, Parkrose, and Roosevelt and embodied the three RESPECT principles: Show Up, Work Hard, and Be Kind. The shoes were given to RESPECT’s partner schools to acknowledge students who embody these principles. Lillard also wore the shoes several times during the season. In addition to 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 construction of inclusive playgrounds for all abilities throughout Oregon. This year, Astoria has been chosen to receive funds to aid in building 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 first-ever Indigenous Community Basketball League (ICBL) for players aged 14 and under was launched by Indigenous Basketball Australia, an organization established by Mills to create opportunities for Aboriginal Australians in basketball. The league, which emphasizes basketball training and life skills education including mental and physical health, as well as enhancing individual identity at a crucial age, took place in eight different regions across Australia. These tournaments also aim to maintain and honor Indigenous cultural traditions. Additionally, Mills collaborated with the NBA and the Jr. NBA to organize the National Indigenous Basketball Tournament (NIBT) that took place from April 11-13 on the Gold Coast in Queensland. This tournament provided 48 boys and girls with 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 the remaining part of his 2019-20 season salary to organizations advocating for social justice and co-launched the ‘We Got You’ campaign alongside other prominent Australian athletes. This campaign aims to eradicate racism, exclusion, and discrimination in sports. After the disastrous Australian bushfires earlier the same 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 awarded the Offseason NBA Cares Community Assist Award by Kaiser Permanente. This was in recognition of his ongoing efforts to promote social justice and advocate for education during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 NBA seasons.

In December, Greenwich Country Day School received a $12 million pledge from the Mitchell family, making it the largest single donation in the school’s history. The school is notable as the alma mater of Donovan and Jordan Mitchell and the place where their mother, Nicole, spent over a decade teaching. This generous donation will establish the Mitchell Family Scholarship Fund, which will aid students from pre-K to 12th grade. Additionally, the Nicole Mitchell Faculty Support Fund will be created to support teachers possessing the same passion for teaching as Nicole. A new athletic center, named D.O.N. (Determination Over Negativity) Mitchell Family Athletic Center, will also be funded by this contribution. This past summer, Mitchell donated the earnings from his Adidas D.O.N. Issue #2 sneakers to support Jacob Blake’s children’s education, students of color at the University of Louisville, and preschool teachers in Connecticut and the Bronx. This donation amounted to over $300,000 in scholarships and academic aid.

Mitchell maintained his steadfast commitment to voicing opposition to racial inequality, which he showcased during the 2019-20 NBA season restart, by continuing the dialogue in the offseason. He participated in a discussion on socio-economic and educational disparities alongside then vice-presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris, CJ McCollum from Portland, and Tobias Harris from Philadelphia. Mitchell was also appointed to the founding board of the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition. This organization plans to utilize the basketball’s influence to raise awareness, educate, and advocate for significant reforms. In addition to this, he consistently supports those in greatest need via his SPIDACARES organization.

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Larry Nance Jr.

Benefiting Charity: Athletes vs. Chron’s

Native to Northeast Ohio, Larry Nance Jr. is a beloved figure in both the basketball and local community. Responding to the severe effects of COVID-19 on small businesses, Larry pledged to use each regular-season game as a platform to support pre-chosen local businesses. He does this by auctioning off his game-worn jerseys, with all proceeds going directly to these businesses. Additionally, Larry and the Cleveland Cavaliers team match these proceeds, effectively tripling the donation each small business receives.

Larry garnered hundreds of packages from local businesses looking to be highlighted during his pregame walk-up, thanks to his social media challenge. In addition, post-game interviews with these small business owners are conducted by the Cavs FieldHouse Creative Team. These interviews are featured on Cavs’ digital platforms, offering fans a deeper understanding of the businesses and promoting their stories more broadly throughout the Northeast Ohio community.

Larry succeeded in raising over $222k and giving 72 worthy small businesses priceless exposure as the Cavs season concluded. On top of that, Westfield, a corporate partner of Cavs, matched Larry’s jersey auction proceeds with an additional $100k donation. This generous contribution was made to the Urban League of Greater Cleveland and the Akron Urban League, both organizations supporting minority-owned businesses. In another initiative, Larry, back in 2017, founded the Athletes vs Chron’s and Colitis foundation. This foundation focuses on boosting awareness of both diseases among teenagers and aiding children in achieving their athletic aspirations despite their diagnoses.

During the pandemic, Larry utilized his platform to talk about the mental and physical effects of COVID-19 on individuals with pre-existing auto-immune diseases.

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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 contribute positively to the wider Dallas community. He surprised many frontline health care workers at UT Southwestern Medical Center with Reebok sneakers, team merchandise, and an unexpected video message expressing his gratitude for their continuous efforts in ensuring community safety. Moreover, he paid a surprise visit to a first-grade class at the Dallas Independent School District as a guest reader, where he not only surprised the students but also encouraged them to value reading and education amid the unique challenges of the current school year.

Richardson, the son of an Air Force servicewoman, has maintained his involvement with the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. This program offers support, care, and resources to those mourning the loss of a servicemember. Over the years, he has fostered a deep bond with his mentee, Elijah, through the program. During the holiday 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 is continuing to make a positive impact in the communities where he lives and plays. Recently, Westbrook has partnered with the LA Promise Fund to establish the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Academy in his hometown of Los Angeles. The academy will provide educational and outdoor opportunities to middle and high school students in south Los Angeles. In 2012, Westbrook founded The Why Not? Foundation, which aims to provide resources and services to at-risk communities, including education, mental health resources, and workforce tools. The foundation also encourages young individuals to be innovative, chase their dreams, and never give up, regardless of the challenges they face. In November, Westbrook and his foundation collaborated with the L.A. Regional Food Bank to provide Thanksgiving meals to Los Angeles residents for the ninth consecutive year.

In December, Russell hosted a Christmas sneaker giveaway for all students at The Children’s Guild District of Columbia Public Charter School, which serves many students from homeless or unstable living situations. In February, he took on an advisory role at Varo Bank, aiming to address income inequality by advocating for programs that enhance financial literacy within minority communities. In addition to his direct community involvement, Westbrook has been proactive in educating communities about the various historical injustices faced by Black people in America.

In April, Russell announced he was creating a documentary about 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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