Karl-Anthony Cities Named 2023-24 NBA Social Justice Champion

Minnesota Timberwolves middle Karl-Anthony Cities has been named the 2023-24 NBA Social Justice Champion and the recipient of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Trophy for selling civil rights and racial equality.

Cities, 28, was chosen for his work to uphold voting rights. The four-time All-Star helped cross a voting invoice in Minnesota for individuals who had been beforehand incarcerated.

Per a number of NBA betting sites, the Timberwolves now maintain second-best championship odds under the Boston Celtics. Sportsbooks are nonetheless displaying nice odds for the Oklahoma City Thunder and New York Knicks.

The NBA right now introduced that Minnesota Timberwolves center-forward Karl-Anthony Cities has been named the 2023-24 NBA Social Justice Champion and can obtain the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Trophy.

Extra: https://t.co/YWNZSPDzAX pic.twitter.com/cLsDuWUfIO

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 9, 2024

“It’s a nice honor to be named the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion,” Cities stated in an announcement. “I’m proud to have performed a job within the passing of Minnesota’s Restore the Vote invoice. I’ll all the time be dedicated to supporting social justice causes as that’s a part of my DNA.”

Minnesota’s Restore the Vote invoice (H.F. 28) is a bipartisan laws that restored the appropriate to vote to greater than 55,000 previously incarcerated individuals in March 2023.

That is the fourth 12 months that the NBA has named a social justice champion. Different recipients of the award have been Carmelo Anthony, Reggie Bullock, and Stephen Curry.

Karl-Anthony Cities wins first NBA Social Justice Champion award for enjoying a job within the passing of Minnesota’s Restore the Vote invoice

Every NBA group nominates one participant for the award, and the committee decides the winner. The committee is led by Corridor of Fame member Abdul-Jabbar, league executives, and social justice leaders.

The committee selects one participant “for pursuing social justice and upholding the league’s decades-long values of equality, respect, and inclusion.”

NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum credited Cities for his social justice work all through his nine-year profession. The 7-footer is a board member for the Nationwide Basketball Social Justice Coalition as effectively.

“Karl-Anthony Cities has demonstrated a deep dedication to advancing social justice via his great advocacy work not solely this previous 12 months, however all through his entire profession,” Tatum stated in an announcement.

.@Timberwolves’ @KarlTowns is the winner of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award, which is given to an NBA participant who conjures up constructive change in his group.

Cities tells CBS Mornings why he’s so obsessed with voting rights. pic.twitter.com/6IQNASI5zz

— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) May 9, 2024

Moreover, different finalists for the award this 12 months had been Miami Heat middle Bam Adebayo, New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum, Oklahoma City Thunder ahead Lindy Waters III, and Los Angeles Clippers guard Russell Westbrook.

A $100,000 donation shall be made on Cities’ behalf to the Boys & Women Golf equipment of the Twin Cities.

By six playoff video games this postseason, Cities is averaging 20.7 factors and 9.0 rebounds whereas capturing 53.8% from 3-point vary. Throughout Recreation 4 of the primary spherical, the two-time All-NBA member scored 28 factors towards the Phoenix Suns.

The Timberwolves have had a profitable run for NBA season awards. Rudy Gobert was named Defensive Participant of the Yr, Naz Reid gained Sixth Man of the Yr, and Mike Conley acquired Teammate of the Yr.