Source: Stacy Revere / Getty
LeBron James recently said that “basketball is the vehicle,” but improving the world is the true mission.
Another one of the league’s most dominant players, Kevin Durant, is doing his best to make that come to fruition. And he just received the January NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente for his efforts. The NBA announced that Durant got the honor in recognition of his continuing efforts to support children, families, and grassroots community organizations.
Just last month, Durant announced that he would donate $3 million to his alma mater, University of Texas, to improve the athletic facilities and the school’s Center for Sports Leadership and Innovation (CSLi) to help with its mission to advance “character development, leadership skills, and promotes the long-term well-being of student-athletes and coaches.”
The Golden State Warrior also helped make a wish come true for three boys facing life-threatening illnesses by flying them to Oakland to watch the team play against the New York Knicks and introducing them to some of his teammates. Basketball aside, Durant also donated $10,000 to Colin Kaepernick’s “10 for 10” campaign, with his donation going straight to Silicon Valley De-Bug, an organization based in the Bay Area that “aims to impact the political, cultural, and social landscape of the area through community-based justice work.”
“This has been a really special month, and I’m grateful to give back in so many ways. My alma mater UT, Silicon Valley De-Bug, Colin Kaepernick, and Make-A-Wish are all doing important work, and it means a lot to me to have played a small part in their incredible efforts,” the 29-year-old All-Star said of his philanthropic efforts.
The NBA Cares Community Assist Award recognizes an NBA player each month who “best reflects the passion that the league and its players share for giving back to their communities,” thanks to the standard set by NBA great David Robinson.
Bigger Than Basketball: Kevin Durant Honored By NBA Cares was originally published on cassiuslife.com
