Oklahoma City point guard Chris Paul became the second player in Thunder history to be named a recipient of the 2020-21 NBA Cares Community Assist Award, the organization announced Monday.
Paul is one of five winners from around the league. The award is given to players who showed a “continued commitment to positively impacting their communities through sustained efforts over the course of the season.”
The president of the National Basketball Players Association, Paul was a key factor in negotiating the season’s safe resumption inside the NBA Bubble.
He also helped with the social messaging that has taken place among players in the league, which was a key stipulation of the union agreeing to return to play as social unrest spread in the nation.
“The community assist award is such an honor to me any year, but this year in particular,” Paul said in a statement. “Given everything 2020 has thrown our way, it’s important that we the players continue to use our NBA platform to be the voice of the voiceless.
Winners receive $100,000 to go to a charity of choice. Paul’s will go to the Chris Paul Family Foundation.
Over the past year, the foundation hosted 100 kids from the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma on a holiday shopping spree, renovated a basketball court for Family T.R.E.E., an organization dedicated to reunifying families within the Child Welfare System, and donated meals to healthcare workers on the frontline during the initial outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
In March, Paul partnered with Live Nation to launch a music internship program at North Carolina A&T State University, an HBCU.
Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade launched the Social Change Fund in July with the intention of addressing social and economic issues plaguing Black communities.
“I will continue to amplify and support the frontline organizations fighting for racial and economic justice as well as the tireless efforts of the healthcare workers keeping us healthy and safe during the COVID-19 health crisis,” Paul said.
“I am so thankful for this acknowledgement as it is one of the proudest accolades an NBA player can receive.”
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