Miami’s Bam Adebayo wins NBA’s Social Justice Champion award

MIAMI (AP) — Bam Adebayo knows what it’s like to grow up with very little. He’s determined to help kids who are facing similar predicaments.

And the NBA has noticed his work.

The Miami Heat star — who had an 83-point game this season, the second highest-scoring game in NBA history — was honored Friday night with the league’s Social Justice Champion award. Adebayo will receive the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Trophy, and the NBA will make a $100,000 charitable donation on his behalf.

“It’s not something I look to do or want to do for attention,” Adebayo said Friday night in a video conference. “It’s something I do because I really want to help people. I’ve always said this: I never had anybody in my community that would come in and make impact. And my mom’s always been one of those people who’s always giving back, so I’m just carrying that torch.”

The award, the NBA said, “honors a current NBA player for pursuing social justice and … for advancing Abdul-Jabbar’s life mission to engage, empower and drive equality for individuals and groups who have been historically disadvantaged.”

The Bam Adebayo Foundation invested more than $563,000 across 18 initiatives this season, all promoting either educational equity, food security or youth development in underserved communities across South Florida and his native North Carolina.

Among the highlights of his work:

— He provided mattresses, uniforms and school supplies for students at The SEED School of Miami.

— Funded transportation for more than 19,000 students to attend the Miami Book Fair.

— Addressed food insecurity through holiday meal distributions.

— Hosted a holiday toy drive serving more than 2,000 children, and the leftover toys — which covered the playing court at the Heat’s home Kaseya Center — were then shared with other organizations.

— Supported youth development programs.

— Renovated a basketball court at Camillus House Homeless Shelter.

The other finalists for the award this season were San Antonio’s Harrison Barnes, Boston’s Jaylen Brown, Detroit’s Tobias Harris and Cleveland’s Larry Nance Jr.

Adebayo is the sixth recipient, joining Jrue Holiday (2025), Karl-Anthony Towns (2024), Stephen Curry (2023), Reggie Bullock (2022) and Carmelo Anthony (2021).

“I’m the first one in Heat history to get it,” said Adebayo, Miami’s captain. “It feels good to be the first at something in franchise history — but it just shows the work that I put into the community.”

The award was decided by a committee that includes Abdul-Jabbar, Tatum, Realize The Dream co-founders Martin Luther King III and Arndrea Waters King, GirlTREK Co-Founder and President Vanessa Garrison, National Museum of African American History & Culture Acting Director Shanita Brackett, Civic Nation CEO Kyle Lierman, NBA President of Social Responsibility & Player Programs Kathy Behrens, National Basketball Players Association Foundation Executive Director Erika Swilley and youth representative Cayden Daughtry from the Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA Court of Leaders.

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