Timberwolves Kevin Love is One of 10 NBA Players Nominated for Excellent Work in the Community
For Immediate Release
Monday, April 29, 2013
Timberwolves Kevin Love Nominated for Seasonlong KIA Community Assist Award
Love One of 10 NBA Players Nominated for Excellent Work in the Community;
Fan Voting Begins Today, Monday, April 29
Minneapolis/St. Paul Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star forward Kevin Love is one of 10 nominees for the Seasonlong KIA Community Assist Award. The Seasonlong KIA Community Assist Award honors the NBA player who best reflects the passion that the league and its players have for giving back to their communities.For the first time, fans may help select the 2013 Seasonlong Kia Community Assist Award winner via the NBA Facebook page. Voting kicked off this morning and continues through Friday, May 17.
In addition to fan voting, the 2013 Seasonlong Kia Community Assist Award winner will be determined by distinguished panel of NBA judges, including past J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award winners, NBA Legends Bob Lanier and Dikembe Mutombo.
Kia and the NBA will provide a $25,000 donation to the winners charity of choice. Love has chosen St. Jude Children's Research Hospital as his charity of choice.
Along with Love, the 2013 Seasonlong Kia Community Assist Award nominees include: Tyson Chandler (Knicks); Kenneth Faried (Nuggets); Tyler Hansbrough (Pacers); David Lee (Warriors); Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers); Chris Paul (Clippers); Zach Randolph (Grizzlies); Dwyane Wade (Heat); and Deron Williams (Nets).
Kia Motors has been an NBA Cares partner since 2010. In addition to the Seasonlong Kia Community Assist Award, the league presents the Kia Community Assist Award monthly throughout the season to recognize players for their charitable efforts.
To learn more, please log on to www.nba.com/kiacommunityassist.
Highlights of Love's efforts in the community this season:
Breast Health Awareness:
Partnering with All-Pro wide receiver and Minneapolis native Larry Fitzgerald, Love teamed up with Bright Pink to "Spread Love" for a Breast Health Awareness Month campaign in which Fitzgerald shaved Love's head in a viral video. For each view, share, and retweet of the video, over a week period, Love and Fitzgerald donated $0.25 to their charities, Bright Pink for Kevin and American Cancer Society and Banner MD Cancer Center for Fitzgerald. With 344,000 shares and views, the two together donated $86,000 to breast cancer charities.
Kevin Love Coat Drive:
For the fifth consecutive year, Love partnered with Comcast and The Salvation Army to hold his annual Coat Drive benefiting those in need. From November 14 through December 12, Love invited all fans to bring new and gently used coats to eight Twin Cities drop-off locations. In all, Love collected a record 2,500 coats and personally delivered them to The Salvation Army in Minneapolis. As a thank you to those who donated, Love purchased two tickets to upcoming Timberwolves games.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital:
Continuing a five-year-long partnership with St. Jude Children's Hospital, Love invited patients and their families to Target Center to enjoy a Timberwolves game earlier this season. Love has served as a Hoops for St. Jude ambassador since founding the Rookie Relief for St. Jude Program, a fundraising campaign to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, five years ago. It was then that Love befriended Dylan Witschen, a 14-year-old boy and St. Jude patient who at the time was battling cancer. Love became good friends with Dylan and his family up until Dylan's passing in 2010. Love once kept Dylan's picture in his Timberwolves locker and wrote Dylan's No. 7 on his sneakers before every game. Now, Love carries his inspiration's infectious smile with him wherever he goes.
Special Olympics Minnesota:
Love took part in the Eden Prairie Polar Bear Plunge this winter, donating over $3,000 to Special Olympics Minnesota. Love was joined by more than 650 plungers, raising over $100,000 in support or Special Olympics Minnesota.
Contact information:
Mike Cristaldi, Minnesota Timberwolves, (612) 673-8405, cristaldi@timberwolves.com
Aaron Seehusen, Minnesota Timberwolves, (612) 673-1602, seehusen@timberwolves.com
Dan Bell, Minnesota Timberwolves, (612) 673-1603, bell@timberwolves.com
