As part of the Plays for the Holidays community outreach initiative, Golden State Warriors stars Andrew Bogut and Stephen Curry hosted children with the Make-A-Wish® Foundation to form special connections and unforgettable experiences on Warriors Ground.
“I feel it’s our responsibility as athletes and role models in our community to take young people under our wing and inspire them to make the best of their circumstances,” said Bogut.
On December 3, 2014, Bogut hosted 20-year-old Melbourne, Australia native Trent Frost and his family to fulfill Trent’s wish of meeting him and attending an NBA basketball game for the first time. Bogut and the Warriors made sure Trent’s visit was even more unforgettable, surprising Trent with a one-day contract for December 4 when the team played the New Orleans Pelicans at Oracle Arena.
“I’m so happy for Trent and it makes me so proud as a mother to see his dreams come true,” said Trent’s mother, Donna. “Leaving Australia for the first time, being in the States and having a wonderful person like Andrew make his dreams come true has made us so grateful.”
Frost and his family were able to tour the Warriors locker room, spend one-on-one time with Bogut and have his name introduced on the Warriors home court before tip-off, where he danced alongside Bogut and the entire Warriors team.
“Being able to not only realize my dream of sitting in an NBA arena to watch a game, but to actually participate with the team and being out there during pregame was an indescribable experience,” said Frost.
On January 9, 2015, Curry hosted four young boys from around the country to fulfill their wishes of meeting the Warriors sharpshooter. Cash, Damian, Aubrey and Kobe were able to attend Curry’s exclusive Curry One signature shoe release event on January 8 and wear custom Curry One shoes as they shot around with him the next morning at the Warriors Practice Facility in downtown Oakland.
“Hosting a great set of kids with the Make-A-Wish® Foundation, trying to make their visit with the team a fun one,” said Curry. “Once they got a ball in their hands they opened up, to see the smiles on their faces was special for me.”
Curry gave the boys a special VIP tour of the Warriors Practice Facility and surprised them with gift bags filled with Under Armour gear, Express clothing and a Playstation Vita gaming system. The children and their families were also able to sit courtside during pregame shootaround and watch their idol score 23 points and dish out 10 assists in a 112-94 Warriors win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“It’s amazing to see Damien’s reaction to this whole experience,” said Damien’s father James. “He can’t sleep, he doesn’t want to eat, he just wants to run around and play basketball with the other kids.”
Warriors Wish Week was part of the Warriors Plays for the Holidays community outreach initiative, as each Warriors player and coach participated in at least one additional event this holiday season to brighten the lives of local families and youth in the Bay Area.
“It’s pretty fun to meet one of the best players in the NBA,” said ten-year-old Cash. “I got to hang with Steph and show him what a good shooter I am.”
This event was also part of the NBA Cares Season of Giving campaign, where the NBA and its teams and players participated in hundreds of charitable events across the country in an effort to brighten the holidays for thousands of children and families.