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More than $1.8 million Distributed to the Community as a Result of the Awards

 Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors takes home the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award; the U.S. Women’s National Ice Hockey Team wins Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year; UNIQLO wins Corporate Community Impact Award and the WWE wins the League Humanitarian Leadership Award.

The leagues, teams, individuals and members of the sporting community met in Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE’s The Novo, Tuesday, July 17, to celebrate those who have used the power of sports to make a positive impact on society at the 2018 Sports Humanitarian of the Year Awards, hosted by Hannah Storm. ESPN will showcase highlights from the Sports Humanitarian of the Year Awards Tuesday, July 24, during a special one-hour program at 7 p.m. ET.

Kevin Durant was honored with the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award, recognized as an athlete whose continuous demonstrated leadership has created a positive impact on their community through sports. As Kevin Durant ascended to stardom in the NBA, he built a philanthropic portfolio as impressive as his play on the court. Six years ago, he started a foundation to help at risk and homeless youth. And when the tornados struck Oklahoma in 2013, Durant not only personally donated $1 million to tornado victims in Oklahoma, he was hands on helping in the recovery. His recent $10 million dollar will change lives for underprivileged students, helping them prepare for, pay for and graduate from college. He’s also building courts all over the world to help youth from low-income backgrounds gain access to sports.

The Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year went to the U.S. Women’s National Ice Hockey Team. The U.S. Women’s National Ice Hockey Team ignited a powerful movement inspiring future generations of women and girls across this nation, empowering them to rise and speak out against inequality. The team put their careers, reputations and livelihoods on the line in order to fight for fair wages and equitable support, and in the process, they reminded the entire nation that equality demands that women have equal standing in sports.

The winner of the new Corporate Community Impact Award was given to UNIQLO. UNIQLO and Street Soccer USA have teamed up to reduce the stigma of homelessness and allow youths who are economically and logistically excluded from team sports to have access to benefits, and to generate sustainable revenue for the program. UNIQLO outfits all the players in Street Soccer USA’s sport-for-social-change leagues for homeless youth so participants can look as good as being part of team makes them feel. Together, UNIQLO and Street Soccer USA are using the power of teamwork to address youth homelessness.

WWE was honored Tuesday with the League Humanitarian Leadership Award. WWE leverages the power of its brand and platforms to help address important social issues worldwide, Providing support on issues including diversity and inclusion, education, military and providing hope to critically ill children, they utilize their events, talent and media platforms to create measurable impact. In 2017 alone, WWE generated 3.1 billion impressions, held 237 events in the community and donated over $25 million in media value.

The Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award, which recognizes’ individuals who have taken risks and used an innovative approach to help the disadvantaged through the power of sports, was presented to David Robinson and The U.S. Department of State Global Sports Mentoring Program. NBA legend David Robinson epitomizes leadership through service, giving considerable care to be strategic, thoughtful and impactful in his approach to philanthropy. He uses his learnings from his decades of service to mentor and counsel other athletes on how to make strategic and lasting social change. The Global Sports Mentoring Program also is an honoree of the Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award for the pairing of emerging female leaders from around the globe with female senior executives at leading U.S. organizations in the sports sector. Since 2012, the 99 graduates of the program have returned home to launch NGOs, affect public policy, and transform communities by providing access and opportunity to girls where none previously existed. Collectively, the emerging leaders have directly impacted more than 225,000 individuals through their work.

The net proceeds from the Sports Humanitarian Awards benefited the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund at the V Foundation. Additionally, ESPN will grant a collective total of $1 million to the charities of the nominees and winners. In total, more than $1.8 million will be distributed to the community as a result of the initiative.

“Tremendous progress is being made in cancer research, but not everyone receives the same level of care,” said Johanna Mercier, President and Head, U.S. Commercial, Bristol-Myers Squibb. “We’re proud to support organizations, like the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund at the V Foundation, that are helping address inequities in cancer care by funding much needed research and support programs.”

Photos from the 2018 Humanitarian Awards can be downloaded via ESPN Images.

Below is a complete list of award winners.

Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award:
Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors (2018)
Mark Giordano, Calgary Flames (2017)

Sports Humanitarian of the Year Award:
Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers (2016)
Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever (2015)

Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year Award:
U.S. Women’s National Ice Hockey Team (2018)
San Francisco 49ers (2017)
San Francisco Giants (2016)
Chicago Bulls (2015)

Corporate Community Impact Award:
UNIQLO (2018)
DICK’S Sporting Goods (2017)
Bank of America (2016)

League Humanitarian Leadership Award:
WWE (2018)
USTA (2017)
NBA (2016)

Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Awards
David Robinson (2018)
U.S. Department of State Global Sports Mentoring Program (2018)
Orlando City SC, #OrlandoUnited (2017)
Ross Initiative for Sports Equality (2017)
Stephanie McMahon, WWE (2017)
Billie Jean King (2016)
Robert Kraft, New England Patriots Owner (2016)
The 2015 University of Missouri Football Team (2016)
Always “Like A Girl” Campaign (2015)
Pete Carroll, NFL Coach (2015)
MLB Commissioner Emeritus Bud and Sue Selig (2015)
You Can Play Project (2015)

About ESPN Corporate Citizenship
ESPN believes that, at its very best, sports uplifts the human spirit. Its corporate citizenship programs use power of sport to positively address society’s needs through strategic community investments, cause marketing programs, collaboration with sports organizations and employee volunteerism, while also utilizing its diverse media assets. For more information go to www.espn.com/citizenship.


About Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information about Bristol-Myers Squibb, visit us at BMS.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.

 

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ESPN Contact: Josh Krulewitz at (860) 766-2319; [email protected]; @jksports
Belen Michelis at (860) 766-1425; [email protected]; @belen_espn

 

 

 



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