OKC Thunder players were active this offseason with philanthropic efforts across the globe.
Community is an important part of Oklahoma culture. And the Oklahoma City Thunder are no strangers to charity. Here’s a look at how members of the Thunder roster gave back this summer.
Russell Westbrook Planned Charity Comedy Show
In addition to spending time with his growing family and participating in James Harden‘s charity basketball game in August, Russell Westbrook has been busy planning his third annual “Why Not?” Comedy Show.
Featuring a star-studded lineup of comedians, celebrities, athletes, and local socialites, this year’s show will take place on October 26 at OKC’s Tower Theatre. Open to attendees 18 and up, proceeds will benefit the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.
Steven Adams Gave Back at Home
For Steven Adams, summers are typically spent back home in New Zealand, giving back and training for the next season. And this year was no different. During his trip to his home country, Adams hosted a high school invitational event for 40 teenagers from around New Zealand. The event featured once-in-a-lifetime training and drills from eight top coaches.
While he was there, Adams took to the golf course for his second annual charity golf tournament. The event featured local athletes and fundraising for Sports Pathways Trust, a student/athlete program aimed at assisting youth with achieving their potential in education.
Paul George Took to the Water
This summer, Paul George hosted his second annual celebrity fishing tournament in California. Featuring professional anglers, as well as celebrities and a handful of Thunder players, the tournament aimed to raise money for George’s charity foundation.
Joined by Russell Westbrook, Andre Roberson and Abdel Nader, George took to Castaic Lake in hopes to win the day’s biggest catch. But, it was Nader who took home that prize with a 4 lb, 12 oz fish.
While there, George donated $25,000 to the Department of Recreation in his hometown of Palmdale, California.
Dennis Schroder Earned $10k for Charity
During the third stop of Nike’s “More Than An Athlete World Tour” in Berlin, Germany, new Thunder point guard Dennis Schroder was given the chance to take on legend LeBron James.
In his native Germany, Schroder and and LeBron squared off in a one-on-one 3-point contest for charity. Each player had one chance to plant a ball from beyond the arc, with the winner taking home $10,000 for the charity of their choice.
As you can see, the philanthropy (and bragging rights) went to Schroder:
Dennis Schroder >>> Lebron pic.twitter.com/JI0DGdJpyL
— Kenny (@noodsexual) September 4, 2018
The 2018-’19 Thunder season kicks off October 16 with an away game at Golden State. And while they’ll be busy on the court, we know your OKC Thunder will be putting in community time as well.
As always, we’ll be here to keep you up-to-date on all the charity efforts.