Suns G Devin Booker wins 2020-21 NBA Cares Community Assist Award

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker was named as the year-long winner of the 2020-21 NBA Cares Community Assists Award after a 12-day fan voting period, plus a vote from an NBA executive panel.

The NBA and partner Kaiser Permanente will reward Booker with $25,000 to go toward his Starting Five initiative.

Booker will be recognized Thursday before Game 2 of the Suns’ NBA Finals series against the Milwaukee Bucks.

The guard donated $500,000 split between five local groups to improve lives of young people and their families this year. The Starting Five initiative in total includes $2.5 million donated over a five-year span.

Arizona Autism United, Central Arizona Shelter Services, YMCA of Southern Arizona, GAP Ministries and Elevate Phoenix were included in Booker’s second Starting Five class.

The first class of Booker’s Starting Five was announced in 2019 and included Special Olympics Arizona, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center, UMOM New Day Centers and Ability 360.

The league’s Community Assist Award “recognizes a player who best reflects the passion that the league and NBA players share for supporting their communities,” the league said in a press release.

It’s given to one of the monthly NBA Cares Community Assist Award winners. Booker won that honor in May.

“From the beginning of my career, it has been important for me to be involved with the Suns organization and the community in Phoenix,” Booker said then in a press release. “All five of these organizations better the lives of the youth by giving them opportunities they need to succeed.

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