Suns’ Chris Paul named inaugural winner of Kobe and Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award
Feb 20, 2022, 2:54 PM | Updated: 7:14 pm
Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns warms up before the game against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on February 05, 2022 in Washington, DC.(Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
(Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul was named the inaugural recipient of the Kobe and Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award, the WNBA announced on Sunday.
Paul was named the award’s winner for his contributions to the advancement of women’s and girls’ basketball and his advocacy for the WNBA, according to a release.
🧡 @CP3 has been named the inaugural recipient of the Kobe & Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award
Full release ➡ https://t.co/oZL3SWqKhQ pic.twitter.com/zl2bJtbE7G
— WNBA (@WNBA) February 20, 2022
The WNBA and Vanessa Bryant presented Paul the award at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland on Sunday night.
Vanessa Bryant presents CP3 with the inaugural Kobe & Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award ❤️ pic.twitter.com/I0SkmkyfCy
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 21, 2022
The new annual award honors the late Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, known as Gigi, who were both devoted supporters of women’s basketball and the WNBA.
RELATED STORIES
Bryant contributed to the women’s game on many levels, from training high school and college players, to coaching Gigi’s youth team and launching the Mamba Sports Academy. Bryant was also involved in the “Her Time to Play” initiative created by the WNBA and NBA, empowering girls to participate in athletics.
The advocacy award is meant to honor advocates and influencers who use their platform to raise awareness for the WNBA and women’s basketball as a whole.
“I have seen first-hand Chris’ appreciation of the WNBA and the game at every level for women and girls, especially in Phoenix and North Carolina, and his ardent support of our game strongly reflects the legacy of Kobe and Gigi,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “The league is proud to name Chris as the inaugural recipient of the Kobe and Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award, as he serves as a leader and role model for other professional athletes around growing the future of the game of young girls and all fans.”
Paul has demonstrated his support of the WNBA and the Phoenix Mercury by attending a number of games in the regular season as well as the playoffs.
He also supports girls youth basketball through camps as well as the CP3 Basketball Academy, which uses basketball to enhance young athlete’s life skills.
The WNBA will make a donation to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, a nonprofit founded through the vision and loving memory of Kobe and Gigi Bryant, the league said.
