NASSAU, BAHAMAS- Elite Bahamian National Basketball Association (NBA) players continue to use their platforms to secure donations for victims of Hurricane Dorian.
Longtime national team members Buddy Hield and Deandre Ayton have both hosted donation drives in Sacramento and Phoenix respectively after pledging $100,000 each to the relief effort.
Hield also recently appeared on ESPN’s Sports Center to discuss the devastation the storm left behind in the northern islands.
“I’m just trying to raise awareness where people can donate water, food, lumber, healthcare supplies and anything they can to help my Bahamian people. Whatever your desire is to help my country, please do. I know they will appreciate it,” Hield said.
The Sacramento Kings foundation pledged $100,000 to UNICEF USA. Also, Kings head coach Luke Walton and former Kings player Kevin Martin also pledged to donate $10,000 each.
In Phoenix, Ayton hosted a supplies donation drive at Fry’s grocery store this week, and he said he was overwhelmed by the amount of support he received.
“This is more than I expected, to be honest. I didn’t expect all of this. I expected some fans, but this is tremendous,” he said. “I just want to keep things [like this] going for the rest of my career, the rest of my life. As long as it takes my country to get back on its feet.”
Along with Hield and Ayton, Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon also donated $50,000 and partnered with Abaco Outreach/SBP to establish an online fundraiser to assist the recovery efforts in Grand Bahama and Abaco.
“My mom (Denise Gordon) and her side of the family are descendants of the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, which was decimated by Hurricane Dorian. Thankfully, everyone in my family is safe, but the Bahamians need our help more than ever,” he said.
Loading ...
