Al Jefferson Center, Charlotte Hornets
Ten-year NBA veteran Al Jefferson may be known for his physical stature on the court, but off the court, it is the size of his heart that shines through and makes him this year’s Sports Hero.
After coming to Charlotte last summer, Jefferson hit the ground running in the community, becoming the face of the organization’s anti-bullying campaign. Bullying has been a focus in schools around the country in recent years, and it has been the theme of the team’s annual Cool School Field Trip preseason game for middle school students in each of the last two seasons. Jefferson has filmed PSAs and visited schools to talk about the issue of bullying. He even incorporated the platform into his community ticket program last season, naming his section “Big Al’s Anti-Bullying All-Stars.”
In addition to his anti-bullying efforts, Jefferson began working with Feed the Children in the summer of 2011 to provide food and personal care items for underprivileged families in his home state of Mississippi. He has also been quick to respond to the needs of his home community in times of peril. He was one of several NBA and WNBA players to participate in Operation Rebound, which provided food and assistance to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, and after one recent tornado, he purchased a car for a college student whose car was destroyed in the storm.
Jefferson also hosts a free basketball camp each summer in his hometown of Prentiss, Mississippi, and is in the process of building a new gym for his high school.
For his dedication to the community in both Charlotte and Mississippi, we honor Al Jefferson as this year’s Sports Hero.