Curry wins J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship award for work in community

Golden State Warriors guard StephenCurry has won the 2022-23 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award, asvoted on by the Professional Basketball Writers Association.

Named after the NBA’s secondcommissioner, the honor is presented annually by the PBWA to aplayer, coach or athletic trainer who shows outstanding service anddedication to the community.

Curry, a four-time NBA champion andtwo-time MVP, was one of four finalists for the 2022-23 award,along with Los Angeles Lakers center Wenyen Gabriel, Los AngelesClippers forward Paul George and Boston Celtics forward GrantWilliams.

The finalists were chosen by acommittee of PBWA members from nominees submitted by NBAteams. The winner was determined by a vote of the entirePBWA, which is composed of more than 200 writers and editors whocover the NBA regularly for newspapers, magazines and online newsoutlets.

“Few athletes have as great a reach oras powerful a platform as Steph Curry, and he has used it to thefullest to benefit others,” said PBWA President Howard Beck. “Themembers of the Professional Basketball Writers Association salutehim and the other nominees for their exemplary work.”

Stephen Curry has won the ProfessionalBasketball Writers Association's 2023 J. Walter Kennedy CitizenshipAward, for his inspiring work in the community.@StephenCurry30'sefforts include promoting youth literacy, fitness and nutrition,and fostering gender equity in sports. pic.twitter.com/SuXnUcxPBB

A 14-year veteran and member of theNBA’s 75thAnniversary Team, Curry is being honored for hiswork promoting youth literacy, fitness and nutrition, as well ashis commitment to fostering gender equity in sports.

The Stephen & Ayesha Curry’s Eat.Learn. Play. Foundation has helped thousands of children inOakland, Calif., building playgrounds across the city, promotingliteracy and distributing meals and produce. The foundationhosted more than 1,000 children from various communityorganizations at an Oakland Athletics game last summer, in an eventthat promoted movement, exercise and literacy. In December,the foundation hosted more than 500 Oakland families as part of the10th annual Christmas with the Currys. The foundation,which provides weekly meals throughout the city, also recentlyunveiled a new schoolyard at Global Family Elementary.

While visiting the White House tocelebrate the Warriors’ 2022 championship, Curry used his platformto speak on the importance of equality in sports, another causethat he has championed both individually and through his corporatepartnerships. The Underrated Tour, a collaboration between Curryand Under Armour, provides a showcase for high school golfers fromtraditionally overlooked communities.

Curry always makes time for fans andcommunity groups over the course of the season. In March, he met inOklahoma City with the Wichita West girls basketball team – whichhad to forfeit its season due to lack of players yet continued topractice every day – to call attention to and honor its persistencein the face of adversity.

Curry, 35, averaged 29.4 points, 6.1rebounds and 6.3 assists in 56 games this season, making both theAll-Star Game and the All-NBA Team for the ninth time.