The Dallas Mavericks selected Tim Hardaway Jr. as the December ’21 Community Spotlight Award winner, presented by Chime, due to his extraordinary commitment to serving children and families in North Texas.

Furthermore, the Mavs community relations team chose Hardaway as the franchise’s nominee for the December NBA Cares Community Assist Award, presented by Kaiser Permanente, for using his platform and resources to empower the lives of others.

The NBA Cares Award is regarded as one of the most coveted honors that an NBA player can receive because nominees have chosen to dedicate their basketball career to a calling much more significant than themselves.

The monthly NBA Cares awards are especially significant this season because the league is celebrating 75 years of creating champions both on and off the court.

“With the return of various in-person events and the Mavericks team ramping up community efforts for the holidays, Tim Hardaway Jr. eagerly jumped in to take on the holidays,” said Emily Luth, manager of corporate social responsibility with the Dallas Mavericks and Mavs Foundation. “As part of the Season of Giving, Tim has set the precedent as an advocate and active participant in this year’s celebration and service.”

HARDAWAY HELPS JUMPSTART THE SEASON OF GIVING 

After practice on Nov. 14, Hardaway arrived at Buckner International Humanitarian Aid Center to volunteer and dish out 250 Thanksgiving meals for food-insecure families.

The event tipped off the Mavericks’ Season of Giving, and it was a fantastic way for all the players to connect with the community.

Hardaway was joined by three teammates and the four players loaded turkeys and meals into cars. They also posed for photos and shared good cheer and encouragement as families picked up their items.

Hardaway was thrilled to serve at the Mavs Turkey Giveaway and give back to the community.

“It’s always an honor and privilege to do something like this,” he explained. “Especially in our busy schedule. So just being able to come here and give back to the community and hand out turkeys. (The fans) do so much for us to cheer us on, why not return the favor?”

Hardaway continued giving back and blessing families as December rolled around, despite a heavy travel schedule. The former NBA All-Rookie First Team member said his month was “magical” as he poured in loads of time, hours, and funds to help local families.

On Dec. 13, thirty minutes after capping off one of his top performances of the season, Hardaway returned to the court and met some of his loyalist fans from a local organization called Bridgebuilders.

This year, Hardaway is once again participating in the Mavs’ Community Ticket Program, which provides select youth-based nonprofit organizations with opportunities to attend Dallas Mavericks home games through donated tickets.

Some players, like Hardaway, choose to also meet with the children after games, and that night he hosted two dozen kids from Bridgebuilders.

“What inspired you to be a basketball player, Tim?” a little girl named Shemia asked him.

“I would say my dad,” he told the children. “My dad played here when I was in fourth grade, around eight or nine years old. Just seeing him play and coming here to watch him play. It was a no-brainer for me.”

Hardaway also explained how he set goals to compete hard and go to college and further his education.

“After that, I just wanted to fulfill my dream to play in the NBA.”

His dream also includes giving back to the fans and the game. Hardaway continued in the holiday spirit one day later when he made Christmas dreams come true for two families.

‘WHAT STUCK OUT TO ME ABOUT TIM IS HIS GENEROSITY’ 

Hardaway has accomplished countless goals during his basketball career — except for one lifelong aspiration.

A young Timmy often imagined life as an NBA player when he was little. He understood what an honor and privilege it was to compete at the highest level. So if he ever made it to the NBA, Hardaway had a desire to someday bless families with a little extra during the holiday season.

He especially wanted to make life easier for hard-working mothers and children who might come from less fortunate circumstances.

On Dec. 14 in Dallas, Hardaway’s dream became a reality when he walked into a private party room at Dave & Buster’s and surprised two families. The special guests came from the Dallas Leadership Foundation, and they were thrilled to get a catered dinner and play games.

But that was just the start.

Tim gifted everyone with loads of presents and goodies including winter gear like coats, socks, and other Mavs’ swag. Then Hardaway delivered a touching message that had the entire room in tears. Then he paid off $10K in rent to help two local families with all their housing needs.

“I’ve always wanted to do this, ever since I made it to the NBA,” Hardaway shared with the families. “My heart is racing right now. It’s just great this time of the year to give back to those that work hard throughout the entire year and take care of their loved ones. Here’s a gift from myself to you all. I want to give each family a check.”

Luth, who helps oversee community outreach with the Mavericks, said what made this event especially unique is that the idea and planning all came from Hardaway.

“Tim brought his idea of selecting local families in need and creating an event to surprise them by helping to pay their rent for a few of the winter months,” Luth said.

“This idea quickly blossomed and turned into an evening at Dave & Busters for two local families associated with Dallas Leadership Foundation, an organization focusing on youth mentorship and rent, housing and job assistance for families.”

The checks were made for $5,000 to each family, lifting a tremendous financial burden for Shaunice Clay. She stood speechless next to her seven-year-old son, Caiden, as Hardaway handed them giant checks.

“I never expected this, and I’m just in shock,” said Clay, who works 12-hour shifts at two different hospitals. “I don’t ever expect gifts or receive gifts. And to come from a stranger, it’s just a shock. It’s a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. $5,000 might not be much for some people, but to me, it’s a big, big difference when it comes to having a home and transportation. It’s huge for me.”

After dinner, Tim hit the game floor with all the kids and families. For an hour, they laughed and played and just embraced the small joys of life. There will be plenty of time to talk about basketball. For now, they found a common love for playing arcades and video games.

Wil McCall is the president and CEO of Dallas Leadership Foundation. He was thrilled to join in the festivities on Tuesday because he said these two families are especially deserving.

“What stuck out to me about Tim is his generosity,” McCall said. “He was available. We see Tim Hardaway Jr. on television and he’s a huge star and comes from a star family. But tonight he was all about hanging out with our kids and families. And he wanted to give. I saw his true desire to give to the families and that’s what moved me.”

Hardaway also joined his teammates two days later for the annual Mavs Cookies With Santa event. This year, the event made wishes come true for 53 kids from local nonprofits who are at risk of homelessness.

Before the party even started, Hardaway was “meticulous in helping to wrap presents for the kids and distribute the gifts with the help of Santa and the rest of the team,” said Luth.

HARDAWAY HAS LONG BEEN AN ADVOCATE OF SUPPORTING LOCAL FAMILIES 

Ever since arriving to join the Dallas Mavericks and throughout the pandemic, Tim Hardaway Jr. has displayed a relentless desire to give back and serve local families through various charitable efforts.

Hardaway strongly showed his community support amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the Texas winter storm. As part of “Feeding the Fight”, Tim stepped up to participate in a campaign aimed to support local restaurants through the purchase of meals that were sent to healthcare workers on the front line.

Tim provided dinner on multiple nights to those on the COVID-19 ICU floors. His donation, and those of his teammates, led to 4,380 meals delivered to frontline workers at the beginning of the pandemic and several hundred more meals continuing into this year.

Another instance Hardaway went above and beyond was when a winter blast rocked Texas in February 2021. The storm shut down the state and caused millions to lose power and water for several days. The effects of that storm are still being felt today as many are still working to repair the damage the storm caused.

Hardaway teamed up with Mavs governor Mark Cuban and other players, along with the Mavs Foundation, to contribute $1.25 million in storm relief.

A DECEMBER TO REMEMBER

Hardaway was slated to host one more special Season of Giving event right before the holidays. However, NBA health and safety protocols put the event on pause. Tim, along with a couple other teammates, planned to host a Mavs Hot Chocolate Party with the Salty Donut, a family-owned, artisan donut shop. The wingman is a stakeholder in the company and planned to surprise youth at a Dallas Boys & Girls Club.

Hardaway also excelled on the court during the month of the December and some of this top performances.

On Dec. 13 against Charlotte, he put on a show as the Mavs cruised to a 120-96 victory at the American Airlines Center. Hardaway poured in 19 points on 5-of-11 baskets from the three.

He was the star one week later on Dec. 20 at Minnesota. Hardaway finished with 28 points, six rebounds and six assists. The team was plus-8 in the 41 minutes (yes, 41) he was on the court.

Hardaway is committed to being a champion both on and off the court in Dallas.

“I have the unique privilege of playing for an organization that my father also played for,” Hardaway said. “This community has continuously poured love into the Hardaway home. It’s equally my honor to be in a position to reciprocate that love, and more than ever, I’m seeing our efforts, together as an organization, take shape all across the city of Dallas. That positive feedback encourages me to do more for MFFLs.”

CONGRATULATIONS TO TIM HARDAWAY JR. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN NORTH TEXAS! 

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