Okafor Receives NBA Community Assist Award For September
October 11, 2007

In recognition of Emeka Okafor’s outstanding efforts in the community and for his ongoing philanthropic work, the NBA has honored the Charlotte Bobcats forward with the Community Assist Award for September.

During September, Okafor, who was the 2003-04 National Player of the Year for the NCAA champion University of Connecticut Huskies, contributed $250,000 his alma mater’s Neag School of Education. The donation will support the school’s Husky Sport Program, where UConn student-athletes serve as mentors on nutritional education and life skills lessons for area youth. The funds contributed by Okafor will be used to expand the program by increasing the scope of activities offered to the Hartford-area students and time they spend with their mentors.

“Nutrition and physical activity are the cornerstones of my life and I am blessed to be able to help the Husky Sport program continue to enrich young people’s lives and make sure that the children in this program not only have a mentor but are getting the tools needed to succeed in life,” said Okafor.

In addition to his donation to his alma mater, Okafor also took part in the NBA’s Basketball without Borders Africa camp in Johannesburg, South Africa. BWB is the NBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program which uses the sport of basketball to influence positive social change and features dozens of current and former NBA players and team personnel as camp coaches and mentors. Okafor and more than a dozen other current and former NBA players and coaches had a truly remarkable experience in South Africa as they worked with Habitat for Humanity and other local non-profit organizations to raise awareness on HIV/AIDS and spent four days coaching basketball and providing important life skills seminars to young players in Africa.

Okafor has also expanded his role as spokesperson for the One Million African Lives initiative, which has pledged to save one million lives over the next five years in Africa by cleaning the blood supply and preventing people from receiving tainted blood used in transfusions. He partnered with the Safe Blood for Africa Foundation, which is in 35 Sub-Saharan countries, and spent two weeks this summer in Africa delivering test kits that ensure the blood is clean before there is a blood transfusion.

As the recipient of the NBA Community Assist Award, Okafor will receive the David Robinson Plaque with the inscription, “Following the standard set by NBA Legend David Robinson who improved the community piece by piece.” In addition to the plaque, a $5,000 donation will be given to the charity of Okafor’s choice.

The league presents the NBA Community Assist Award monthly to recognize players for their charitable efforts. The award honors the NBA player who reflects the passion that the league and its players have for giving back to their communities.