OKC Thunder: Chris Paul headlines five Community Assist Award recipients

OKC Thunder captain Chris Paul headlines five NBA players named with NBA Cares Community Assist Award

Each season the NBA hands out individual All-NBA hardware along with some specialized awards. For the 2019-20 campaign, several OKC Thunder players were in the running for these accolades with Dennis Schroder coming in second to LA Clippers Montrezl Harrell in the Sixth Man of the Year.

OKC Thunder point guard Chris Paul earned recognition in several categories with votes for Most Valuable Player and All-Defensive teams while he landed on the All-NBA second-team unit.

This week the NBA announced the five recipients of the NBA Cares Community Assist Award sponsored by Kaiser Permanente.  As per the official OKC Thunder site, the recipients are selected based on actions impacting the markets they play or live in and sustaining those efforts throughout the season.

"Paul was one of five award recipients chosen because of their continued commitment to positively impacting their communities through sustained efforts over the course of the season. He is the second player in Thunder history to receive the award"

Joining Paul in receiving the honor are Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics, Dwight Powell of the Dallas Mavericks, George Hill of the Milwaukee Bucks, and Harrison Barnes of the Sacramento Kings.

OKC Thunder captain Chris Paul receives Community Assist Award

This season the recipients should feel particularly honored since so many of the NBA fraternity were active either in helping their communities during the coronavirus pandemic or getting out on the front lines to participate in marches.

Chris Paul was probably the easiest choice by the committee given how much he’s done above and beyond his play on the court this season. As the president of the National Basketball Players Association Paul played an active role in bringing back the NBA to the hardwood in Orlando.

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More importantly, he was a driving force in making sure the players would be able to continue to support social justice messages while inside the Disney bubble. CP3 focus on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) has been an ongoing passion of the veteran. In addition, he launched the Social Change Fund with his banana boat and wine buddies Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony.

The veteran guard called this one of the proudest accolades any player can be honored with particularly in this trying year.

"“The community assist award is such an honor to me any year, but this year in particular,” said Paul.  “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.  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. I am so thankful for this acknowledgement as it is one of the proudest accolades an NBA player can receive.”"

In addition to CP3’s efforts inside the bubble, he was active in the Oklahoma community via his Chris Paul Family Foundation. Among the events, his foundation delivered in OKC were a shopping spree for 100 children in collaboration with Big Brothers and Big Sisters and during the hiatus, he fed front-line healthcare workers in his native North Carolina.

Each recipient receives $10,000 that is donated to their favorite charity. Paul’s donation will go directly to his foundation (the Chris Paul Family Foundation).

Congratulations to Paul and the other four recipients for this well-deserved honor.