“It’s a good day to have a good day!”
Those are the words shared by Maxi Kleber on his social media to uplift fans. It’s the same positive energy he shouts to teammates or young children who line up to watch him play.
Joy also spills out in the community when the 29-year-old arrives to help underserved children shop for holiday gifts or when he hands turkeys to needy families for Thanksgiving.
Spreading kindness and compassion is natural for Kleber, and it’s not what he does – but who he is. He doesn’t desire the spotlight or praise. His parents raised him to use his platform for the greater good and he gives back from the heart.
The Dallas Mavericks are proud to announce that power forward Maxi Kleber is the November 2021 Community Spotlight Award winner, presented by Chime, due to his extraordinary commitment and willingness to serve children and families in North Texas.
Each month, the Mavs and Chime gauge the totality of impact and influence that players make in the community. The native of Wurzburg, Germany, was selected as the winner because of his numerous charitable efforts and acts of service. Many of these moments took place behind the scenes and out of the view of others.
His teammate and close friend Dwight Powell said everything Kleber does comes from a genuine place in his heart.
“First and foremost, Maxi is truly caring when it comes to the community,” Powell shared. “That usually gets expressed behind the cameras and at times when not everyone is necessarily watching. I can tell you firsthand that’s truly the type of person he is. He doesn’t do those things for recognition. He was raised in a great family, and that’s something they preached. Giving back without recognition is very important to them.”
Since November, Kleber participated in several events, including the annual Mavs’ Turkey Giveaway at Buckner International. Kleber helped prepare full Thanksgiving meals and sides to distribute to the 250 families that arrived for the event. Many of the attendees live on a fixed income and said they could never afford to attend a game. Meeting players like Kleber brought them great joy and pride.
“We’ve been through so many tough times,” Evangelina Fonseca said. “So we’re thankful for the food. We loved getting to meet the Mavericks!”
Kleber is also participating in the Mavericks Community Ticket Program, which provides youth-based non-profit organizations with the opportunity to attend Dallas Mavericks home games through donated tickets. Kleber and Powell will host a post-game Meet and Greet with the group after the Dec. 21 game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. This week, Kleber participated in a holiday shopping spree with local youth. He was grateful to walk alongside some children to help them pick out special holiday gifts.
In the past, Kleber participated in numerous events with the Mavericks, including hospital visits, court dedications, Mavs Academy camps, and more. His impact has reached thousands of people, and he shows children by example how to dream big and display kindness everywhere they go.
“With the Mavs, community outreach is something we do as an organization, and from the second Maxi arrived, he fit right in,” Powell said. “But what I can tell you about Maxi as his friend is that he does a ton of things others never even know. Sometimes it’s not in big flashy ways, but he’s always helping people he meets along the way. That’s just who he is.”
Over the summer, we caught up with Kleber at a Mavs Academy camp.
He took part in various drills, played games, and delivered motivational words of wisdom to the 100-plus children at two camps. Most of all, he stressed the importance of hard work and character, both on and off the court.
“My advice to them is just to have fun,” Kleber shared. “When I was a kid, all I cared about was having fun, and I spent every day in the gym not thinking about anything in particular and just played. Obviously, when you get older, there are certain things you need to work on, like dribbling, passing, shooting, and they’re all important. But my main advice at this stage is just for the kids to have fun.”
It’s that same kind of passion and fun that makes the Dallas Mavericks and Chime blessed to work alongside someone like Kleber. Thank you, Maxi, for inspiring many people through your enthusiasm, hope, and servanthood leadership.
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