Luka Dončić has been chosen as the winner of the 2024 NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist award, the league announced Friday.
It is one of the most prestigious awards the league has for contributions to helping others in the community.
Below is the official NBA news release, followed by the original mavs.com story when Luka was nominated for the award earlier in April.
DALLAS MAVERICKS’ LUKA DONČIĆ NAMED NBA CARES BOB LANIER COMMUNITY ASSIST AWARD APRIL WINNER
– Dončić is being recognized for providing memorable experiences for youth and uplifting communities –
– NBA to donate $10,000 to the Luka Dončić Foundation –
NEW YORK, April 26, 2024 – The NBA today announced Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić as the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award winner for the month of April. Dončić is being recognized for his efforts in providing memorable experiences for youth and uplifting communities. Dončić will receive the David Robinson trophy and the NBA will donate $10,000 to the Luka Dončić Foundation, which aims to empower local heroes who bring the magic of sports and active play to children in their communities.
Dončić has played an active role in creating unforgettable moments for youth, working through his foundation, the Dallas Mavericks, and non-profit organizations like Make-A-Wish, Dončić hosted multiple events including gift giveaways, meet-and-greets, children’s hospital visits and granting the wishes of children facing serious illnesses.
In the Dallas-Fort Worth metro, Dončić hosted 50 students at the American Airlines Center to attend a Mavericks home game, many of whom have never previously attended an NBA game. The experience included tickets, transportation and meals provided by Dončić as well as a personal meet-and-greet. Additionally, during the holiday season, Doncic teamed up with NERF and Jordan Brand and gifted hundreds of students from local schools and the Heroes Foundation NERF basketball hoops, NERF blasters and Luka’s Jordan Brand signature t-shirts and Luka 2’s.
At Cook Children’s Medical Center, Dončić donated gifts, hand knit hats and blankets to the families of nearly 100 premature newborn children in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Recognizing the heavy financial strains families suffer during a baby’s often long hospitalization, Dončić provided financial support to NICU families who are in need of assistance with paying mortgages and rent, utility bills, car payments and more. During the Mavs Ball – which is the Mavericks annual auction fundraiser, Dončić provided $43,000 to the Mavs Foundation in bids during the auction.
Dončić’s impact extends beyond the Dallas-Fort Worth community. During the Maverick’s trip to Madrid, Spain for a preseason game, Dončić visited the local children’s hospital to meet and give gifts to many of his fans across the world that otherwise would not have the opportunity to watch a Mavericks game in person or meet Dončić in Dallas. Additionally, the Luka Dončić Foundation hosted a holiday party and distributed gifts to nearly 70 youth at youth care center Malči Belič Ljubljana in Slovenia. The Luka Dončić Foundation also delivered gifts to youth at the residential and counseling institution Verzej in Slovenia.
“Basketball has given me so much and I have a big responsibility to give back by helping wherever I can,” said Dončić. “It means everything to me to keep growing my foundation’s work by supporting those leading amazing community projects, connecting with more young people and spreading more generosity and kindness. I hope we can make an even bigger impact next year.”
Dončić will be recognized in-arena as the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award winner during halftime of Game 4 of the Clippers-Mavericks NBA Playoffs game on April 28. Dallas Mavericks Governor Patrick Dumont and Chief Executive Officer Cynt Marshall will present him with the award.
The NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award honors Bob Lanier, an NBA League Office executive and NBA Cares Ambassador for more than 30 years. He had an enormous influence on the NBA family and young people globally, traveling the world to teach the values of the game and making a positive impact through his kindness and generosity. The legacy he built will continue to live on through the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award recognition, which honors the next generation of players’ commitment to positively impacting their community throughout the NBA season. Over the course of each NBA season, there is an offseason winner followed by seven monthly award winners. Each winner receives the David Robinson trophy and the NBA makes a donation to the charity or foundation of the player’s choice. To learn more, please visit https://communityassist.nba.com/.
Here’s the original mavs.com story when Dončić was nominated for the award.
DONCIC NOMINATED FOR NBA CARES BOB LANIER COMMUNITY ASSIST AWARD
Luka Dončić is one of the smartest basketball players on the planet. And yet, he plays the game with his heart as much as his head.
He is passionate about his profession, about being his very best and about winning.
It’s the same way with his dedication to helping people.
Because of his global outreach efforts, the Mavericks’ MVP candidate and superstar point guard is the Chime Community Spotlight winner for March and also has been nominated for the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist award.
From local events like Cookies With Santa to a hospital visit in Madrid to a court dedication in his native Slovenia, Dončić’s influence in the community is boundless.
And it is something he takes a lot of pride in. Especially when it comes to young people who are fighting illness, abuse or other long odds in their quest to have the life of a normal kid.
“My heart has always been with kids,” Dončić said, “and I know that being in a hospital, youth center or facing hard times can be really tough. I want to do whatever I can to make these kids’ days just a bit brighter.
“To see them smile makes me smile.”
One of the best moments for Dončić came when he met with a 15-year-old as part of the Make-A-Wish program.
Through the foundation, Luka has had the privilege of granting many wishes to children facing critical illnesses, fulfilling dreams and bringing moments of joy and inspiration in their time of need.
It’s truly a difference-maker in the lives of the kids and their families.
From being a “Maverick for a day” to meeting the entire team to simply spending time with a young fan who doesn’t get the chance to be a kid very often, Luka answers the call.
One such occasion was when Johnny Miller, a 10th-grader from Gateway High School in Fort Myers, Fla., made a wish to meet Luka. Johnny became a Dončić fan after he was drafted in 2018. Johnny suffers from Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of neurological cancer. His diagnosis led to depression and he dropped out of school.
But life momentarily turned around for Johnny when he became a Make-A-Wish Foundation recipient.
When the event happened on the night of the 2023-24 home opener against Brooklyn, it was an absolute overwhelming moment for Johnny and his mother.
“It’s amazing to see him so happy,” Stacy Miller said. “It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen him smile and be so happy.”
Before his pregame warmups, Dončić met with Johnny and his family and they quickly built a true connection, complete with three pairs of Luka signature shoes. It was a memorable moment for Johnny and his family. When Dončić’s teammates all stopped by to greet Johnny, it simply put an unforgettable cap on the evening.
That sort of thing happens often with Dončić. His community outreach has involved a wide-ranging scope of philanthropic events and initiatives, including:
Cookies with Santa: An annual event for the Mavericks, it’s become one of the occasions that brings out the personality in Dončić. He dons a Santa hat and engages in heartwarming fashion with Dallas-area children in a festive atmosphere. Laughs, stories and, of course, lots of cookies are provided for all. He brought smiles to the kids’ faces, but also lasting memories for their families.
50 Strong: The Luka Extravaganza on Dec. 20 hosted 50 youth at American Airlines Center as they watched the Mavericks take on the Los Angeles Clippers. Dončić handled everything for the students, most of whom had never experience an NBA game in person. He not only arranged the transportation and a wonderful meal, but then surprised the kids with a meet-and-greet after the game.
Luka’s Elves at NERF and Jordan: Students from three Dallas Independent School District campuses received an array of NERF basketball hoops, gear, toys and gifts. Luka and his helpers handed out the gifts to kids from Cedar Crest Elementary, Story Middle School and Bishop Dunne Catholic School, plus youngsters from the Heroes Foundation.
Mavs in Madrid: While playing against Luka’s former team, Real Madrid, in Spain, Dončić made sure to stop by a local children’s hospital to meet some of the most loyal fans of his in the world. As a fluent speaker of Spanish, he was a big hit with the young folks.
Cook Children’s Health Care: Dončić organized a number of gifts, including hand-knitted hats, blankets and more that were distributed to families of nearly 100 prematurely born babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Cook Children’s. Mothers also were given gift cards for manicures offered onsite and a professional photographer was there to photo family moments. Luka’s foundation worked with Child Life Dept. to identify 25 NICU parents who needed financial assistance with mortgages, rent, utilities and other basic needs. He also helped refurbish the Family Care Room with new furniture and paint, making the place where bad news often is delivered more comforting.
Slovenia Youth Care Center: A major part of his community service derives from the Luka Dončić Foundation, which hosted a holiday party and distributed gifts to 68 children living at the youth-care center Mici Belic Ljubljana. The center serves adolescents who have faced significant hardships in their young lives and have been admitted to grow socially, emotionally and academically without the pressures of their often-tumultuous home lives. Luka’s foundation also hosted a festive party and delivered holiday gifts to 56 children and teens at the residential and counseling institution Verzej in Slovenia. The center focuses on educating about emotional and behavioral problems in kids, as well as those with learning disabilities.
Not just a superstar on the court: Dončić not only gives his time, but also his treasure. He truly has been a superstar when it comes to fundraising, particularly at the Mavs Ball, which is the Mavs Foundation premier fundraising event each year. Players get decked out for the blue-tie affair and they mingle at a cocktail hour and host a table for the evening with some of the Mavericks’ largest donors and sponsors. The event raised $2-million at the 2024 event. One of the largest donors during the evening was Dončić. He helped auctioneers with his jovial personality, bringing out the highest bidders for items like playing NBA 2K with the team and a trip to Slovenia. Dončić himself was the winner of several auction items and he ended up donating $40,000 on the evening to the Mavs Foundation.
Meanwhile, the Luka Dončić Foundation serves the health and well-being of kids through play. The foundation’s mission is that “we believe all children deserve the benefits of play and that by giving them that, we can unleash their true potential – socially, creatively, cognitively, emotionally and physically.
The LDF does that through several programs, including:
Play Therapy: This initiative provides pathways to play-based mental and physical health therapy for children ages 3 through 10 who are experiencing social, emotional, behavioral and physical disorders.
Play Access: This ensures that kids 3 through 16 have transportation, equipment and entry fees into childhood sports teams, play venues and group activities.
Play Environments: To create a custom play environment within local communities in which kids of all ages have personalized healthy and easy ways to play.
Play Challenges: Developing one-off play challenges with brand partners and fan participation to raise funds for children’s play projects.
These wide-ranging efforts are why Dončić leaves a lasting impression off the court as well as on it.
X: @ESefko
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