SpurGal
09-25-2004, 01:14 AM
An assist on the court leads to two points, maybe three, but an assist off the court means so much more. Here are some of the notable community efforts made by NBA teams and players from the Western Conference.
The Dallas Mavericks’ Jason Terry holds Hoops Showdown, a game whose proceeds support the United Negro College Fund. He also sponsors basketball camps and built a computer lab for at-risk youth.
The Lakers’ Brian Grant is one of the NBA’s most active philanthropists, and his foundation offers profound support to underprivileged children and the elderly.
The Tracy McGrady Foundation donated more than $350,000 dollars last year to various children’s programs and he has hosted children from Make-A-Wish and more.
Houston Rockets forward Juwan Howard and his foundation have been involved in collecting and distributing over 21,000 winter clothing items, refurbishing basketball courts and supporting tutoring in the projects where he grew up in Chicago. He hs also adopted a school where he has given students incentives to read more books.
Mavericks guard Jerry Stackhouse lost two sisters to diabetes and both of his parents have the disease, so he has become very involved in supporting and promoting diabetes prevention programs.
Dallas’ Michael Finley inspired fans to give to a hunger program—and along with some teammates he matched their donations. The result: more than $100,000, which is good for 20 truckloads of food for the hungry. He gives away a block of tickets to youth programs for every game, holds an annual golf tournament to raise money for the Make-A-Wish foundation, runs a free week-long basketball clinic and is involved in Read to Achieve, a Black History Month art contest and a number of events involving disadvantaged children both in Dallas and in his hometown of Chicago.
Mavericks big man Dirk Nowitzki has spent time with children from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, promotes a recycling program, regularly visits hospitals and has committed to answering every piece of fan mail he receives.
The Denver Nuggets’ Marcus Camby’s Cambyland Youth Foundation partners with schools and organizations to improve education in underserved communities. At Thanksgiving he personally delivered dinners to 50 families. At Christmas, he picked up 15 disadvantaged children in an SUV limo, gave each a signed jersey and $100 to buy presents for their families.
Blazers guard Nick Van Exel took it upon himself to provide a Christmas experience for 35 underprivileged children and four large families. Through a church he got wish lists from the children, bought the things they wanted and personally delivered the items before Christmas. He then hosted them all at a surprise Christmas party. At Thanksgiving, he and his Warriors teammates each bought 150 turkeys and Van Exel personally delivered them to 10 area shelters. He also gives away a block of tickets to every home game.
Warriors guard Jason Richardson gives away a block of tickets for every home game. J-Rich also donated over 200 Thanksgiving turkeys, co-hosted a reading camp at a local school, and is a spokesperson for an educational program that stresses attendance, academics and attitude.
Rockets center Yao Ming heard about a boy whose dying wish was to meet him, so he immediately rushed to the hospital for a special visit. In China last summer he raised over $300,000 for SARS research with a telethon. He arranged for teammates and friends to appear by tape. Teammate Steve Francis and Reebok each gave $10,000.
L.A. Clippers forward Elton Brand hosts the free, fun Elton Brand Day for his hometown fans in New York and supports afterschool education, youth sports and programs for single parents.
Karl Malone surprised a group of children from a local youth program with a trip to see his racing team, followed by a party he personally hosted. He also arranged for 25 children to tour a trendy clothing supplier—then surprised them with a party and $1,000 each to shop. He and the Sparks’ Lisa Leslie helped to paint a Boys and Girls Club, he donated 1,000 pairs of shoes to victims of wildfires, he frequently visits schools and he and his agent paid tens of thousands of dollars for first aid equipment to be put into police cars.
Lakers forward Lamar Odom buys tickets, a bus ride, T-shirts, hot dogs and sodas for 40 children at every Heat home game. He’s also involved in hospital visits, turkey giveaways, the team’s Family Festival and the Read to Achieve program.
A member of the board at the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Memphis Zoo, Memphis’ Shane Battier is active in Read to Achieve and the Grizzlies tickets for kids program.
San Antonio’s Tim Duncan has rewarded over 3,000 students who demonstrate integrity, respect, dependability, fairness, caring and civic responsibility with Spurs tickets or other prizes, and he has raised close to a million dollars for cancer charities.
The Dallas Mavericks’ Jason Terry holds Hoops Showdown, a game whose proceeds support the United Negro College Fund. He also sponsors basketball camps and built a computer lab for at-risk youth.
The Lakers’ Brian Grant is one of the NBA’s most active philanthropists, and his foundation offers profound support to underprivileged children and the elderly.
The Tracy McGrady Foundation donated more than $350,000 dollars last year to various children’s programs and he has hosted children from Make-A-Wish and more.
Houston Rockets forward Juwan Howard and his foundation have been involved in collecting and distributing over 21,000 winter clothing items, refurbishing basketball courts and supporting tutoring in the projects where he grew up in Chicago. He hs also adopted a school where he has given students incentives to read more books.
Mavericks guard Jerry Stackhouse lost two sisters to diabetes and both of his parents have the disease, so he has become very involved in supporting and promoting diabetes prevention programs.
Dallas’ Michael Finley inspired fans to give to a hunger program—and along with some teammates he matched their donations. The result: more than $100,000, which is good for 20 truckloads of food for the hungry. He gives away a block of tickets to youth programs for every game, holds an annual golf tournament to raise money for the Make-A-Wish foundation, runs a free week-long basketball clinic and is involved in Read to Achieve, a Black History Month art contest and a number of events involving disadvantaged children both in Dallas and in his hometown of Chicago.
Mavericks big man Dirk Nowitzki has spent time with children from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, promotes a recycling program, regularly visits hospitals and has committed to answering every piece of fan mail he receives.
The Denver Nuggets’ Marcus Camby’s Cambyland Youth Foundation partners with schools and organizations to improve education in underserved communities. At Thanksgiving he personally delivered dinners to 50 families. At Christmas, he picked up 15 disadvantaged children in an SUV limo, gave each a signed jersey and $100 to buy presents for their families.
Blazers guard Nick Van Exel took it upon himself to provide a Christmas experience for 35 underprivileged children and four large families. Through a church he got wish lists from the children, bought the things they wanted and personally delivered the items before Christmas. He then hosted them all at a surprise Christmas party. At Thanksgiving, he and his Warriors teammates each bought 150 turkeys and Van Exel personally delivered them to 10 area shelters. He also gives away a block of tickets to every home game.
Warriors guard Jason Richardson gives away a block of tickets for every home game. J-Rich also donated over 200 Thanksgiving turkeys, co-hosted a reading camp at a local school, and is a spokesperson for an educational program that stresses attendance, academics and attitude.
Rockets center Yao Ming heard about a boy whose dying wish was to meet him, so he immediately rushed to the hospital for a special visit. In China last summer he raised over $300,000 for SARS research with a telethon. He arranged for teammates and friends to appear by tape. Teammate Steve Francis and Reebok each gave $10,000.
L.A. Clippers forward Elton Brand hosts the free, fun Elton Brand Day for his hometown fans in New York and supports afterschool education, youth sports and programs for single parents.
Karl Malone surprised a group of children from a local youth program with a trip to see his racing team, followed by a party he personally hosted. He also arranged for 25 children to tour a trendy clothing supplier—then surprised them with a party and $1,000 each to shop. He and the Sparks’ Lisa Leslie helped to paint a Boys and Girls Club, he donated 1,000 pairs of shoes to victims of wildfires, he frequently visits schools and he and his agent paid tens of thousands of dollars for first aid equipment to be put into police cars.
Lakers forward Lamar Odom buys tickets, a bus ride, T-shirts, hot dogs and sodas for 40 children at every Heat home game. He’s also involved in hospital visits, turkey giveaways, the team’s Family Festival and the Read to Achieve program.
A member of the board at the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Memphis Zoo, Memphis’ Shane Battier is active in Read to Achieve and the Grizzlies tickets for kids program.
San Antonio’s Tim Duncan has rewarded over 3,000 students who demonstrate integrity, respect, dependability, fairness, caring and civic responsibility with Spurs tickets or other prizes, and he has raised close to a million dollars for cancer charities.