NEW YORK, NY, August 5, 2022 - The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) Foundation is pleased to announce more than $500,000 in matching player grants. Closing out its fiscal year in May and June, the NBPA Foundation partnered with 26 current and former players to match their philanthropic efforts in their communities. 

As part of the NBPA Foundation’s matching grants program, current and former players have an opportunity to partner with the NBPA Foundation to receive a matching grant that is designed to amplify their charitable giving and maximize their philanthropic impact.

The areas of investment include:

Youth Sports

Education Access

Research/Health and Wellness

Humanitarian Relief

Social Justice & Civic Engagement

The NBPA Foundation provided matching grants to the following players:

Youth Sports

Al-Farouq Aminu: This grant will go towards the Aminu Good Works Foundation to support youth basketball programming in Ibadan, Nigeria. With this grant, the Aminu Good Works Foundation plans to host youth basketball camps and will purchase equipment, uniforms, and more.

-Organization: Aminu Good Works Foundation

Andrew Wiggins: This grant will be used to support the West Virginia Thunder, an elite girls AAU team based in South Charleston, West Virginia. Grant dollars will be used to cover the travel and tournament expenses as well as provide scholarships for student-athletes.

-Organization: West Virginia Thunder

Cam Reddish: This grant will go to Cam Reddish’s newly-formed nonprofit, the Reddish Family Foundation, to support the launch of its programs based in Atlanta, Georgia, and Norristown, Pennsylvania. The Reddish Family Foundation plans to host youth sports and educational programs, including basketball camps/clinics and more.

-Organization: Reddish Family Foundation

Gabe Vincent: This grant will go to Athletes 2 Leaders to support Nigerian and other international high school athletes in preparing to compete for Division I universities in and around Atlanta, Georgia.

-Organization: Athletes 2 Leaders

Hamidou Diallo: This grant will support the Hamidou Diallo Foundation to provide general operating support for its programs and launch its AAU team, Diallo Elite.  This grant will be used to purchase school supplies for youth, cover travel costs and buy new equipment and uniforms for Diallo Elite.

-Organization: Hamidou Diallo Foundation

Jordan Nwora: This grant will go to the Jordan Nwora Foundation to support its annual basketball camps in Benin, the Ivory Coast, and Nigeria. The grant will be used to support the costs of hosting the camps in all three countries, including travel costs, purchasing equipment, and uniforms, as well as making minor court refurbishments in each facility.

-Organization: Jordan Nwora Foundation

Michael Carter-Williams: This grant will go to MCW Starz, Michael Carter-Williams’ AAU teams, which has both boys and girls AAU teams in western Massachusetts. The grant will provide general operating support for the team to cover travel costs, equipment, and more.

-Organization: MCW Starz

Obi Toppin: This grant will go to the New Jersey Scholars, an AAU team based in Millburn, New Jersey. The grant will cover coaching stipends as well as tournament and travel fees for program participants in grades 4 through 12.

-Organization: New Jersey Scholars

Pops Mensah-Bonsu: This grant will go to SEED Academy, which is focused on youth sports and increasing access to education in Ghana with equipment, supplies, and covering admission fees for students.

-Organization: SEED Academy

Precious Achiuwa: This grant will go to the Be Rose International Foundation to support Precious’ basketball camps in Nigeria. The grant will be used to cover salaries for coaches and staff, purchase equipment and uniforms, and refurbish a local basketball court.

-Organization: Be Rose International

Thomas Bryant: This grant will go to Keep Youth Dreams Alive, a sports-based youth development nonprofit based in New Milford, New Jersey. The grant will support the nonprofit’s ongoing youth sports and mentorship programs by purchasing basketballs, recreational equipment, and school supplies and books for its participants.

-Organization: Keep Youth Dreams Alive

Tomas Satoransky: This grant will go to the Czech Basketball Federation to support the refurbishment and ongoing management of a court in Prague. The grant will be used to resurface the area, plant greenery, and update the hoops and overall structure of the court.

-Organization: Czech Basketball Federation

Education Access

Brook Lopez: This grant will be used to purchase books for the Next Door Foundation’s library in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Next Door Foundation plans to purchase books written by BIPOC authors and in different languages to support the youth of different races and backgrounds across the city.

-Organization: Next Door Foundation

CJ Elleby: This grant will go to the Elleby Foundation to support its youth sports and academic programs in and around Seattle, Washington. 

-Organization: Elleby Foundation

Damion Lee: This grant will provide general operating support for the L.E.E. Way Foundation’s programs and partnerships in Baltimore, Maryland, and Louisville, Kentucky. The foundation plans to subsidize utility bills for select families, host holiday events in Baltimore, Maryland, as well as mental health programs for youth in Louisville, Kentucky.

-Organization: The L.E.E. Way Foundation

Grant Williams: This grant will go to the Providence Day School to support Grant’s newly established scholarship fund.

-Organization: Providence Day School

Julius Randle: This grant will go to the Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School in the Bronx, New York, to support its literacy intervention program for students.

-Organization: Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School

Ricky Davis: This grant will go to the Ricky Davis Legacy Foundation to support its STEM tutoring program. This program provides interactive programming for youth at the intersection of sports and technology in Houston, Texas.

-Organization: Ricky Davis Legacy Foundation

Robert Pack:  This grant will go to the Robert Pack Foundation to support its ongoing programs and scholarship for youth in New Orleans, Louisiana.

-Organization: The Robert Pack Foundation

Steve Novak: This grant will provide general operating support for schools in Brown Deer, Wisconsin. The Education Foundation of Brown Deer plans to use funds to purchase books and online resources for its youth literacy programs and expand its career readiness program.

-Organization: Education Foundation of Brown Deer

Research Health/Wellness

De’Aaron Fox: This grant will go to the Fox Whole Family Foundation for its continued support of women and families affected by breast cancer. This grant will be used to subsidize the cost of mammograms and breast cancer screenings, as well as host support groups through local nonprofits for women in Houston, Texas, and Sacramento, California.

-Organization: Fox Whole Family Foundation

Kevin Love: This grant will go to the Kevin Love Fund, which is focused on changing the perception of mental health and providing school-based resources nationwide. The grant will help to expand the fund’s mental health curriculum and train teachers on incorporating social-emotional learning into the classroom.

-Organization: Kevin Love Fund

Humanitarian Relief

Giannis & Thanasis Antetokounmpo: Grants will go to the Antetokounmpo family’s newly formed nonprofit, the Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation, which plans to serve refugee and underserved families in Athens, Greece, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

-Organizations: Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation

Jonathan Isaac: This grant will support Project Life’s food distribution efforts in Orlando, Florida.

-Organization: Project Life

Social Justice & Civic Engagement 

Deandre Ayton: This grant will go to the Women Win Foundation to support efforts in advocating for gender equity globally.

-Organization: Women Win Foundation

All media inquiries should be directed to communications@nbpa.com.

About the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) Foundation:

Established in 1997, the National Basketball Players Association Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of its members and providing support and assistance to persons, communities and organizations throughout the world that seek to improve the lives of those in need. Through grants that match players’ philanthropy and charitable giving, the Foundation highlights and accelerates the real and collaborative work that basketball players do worldwide to build their communities and create meaningful change.

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