NBA players live a life of stardom, girls, and glamour.
Due to the contracts doled out to even average players, and the guaranteed money included in these contracts, players in other sports like the NFL can’t help but be jealous at the circumstances of their peers across the pond.
With the extreme benefits of playing in this league, comes a certain responsibility that many players don’t shy away from. Community outreach and donations to charity are just some ways NBA players give back.
Andrew Wiggins, wing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, is actually donating $22 for every point he scores to charities supporting underprivileged children. This is the second consecutive year he has done this.
I’m proud to announce for the second year straight i’ll be donating $22 for every point I score towards supporting underprivileged children who face barriers in participating in organized sports. The goal is and will always be to help kids be kids and play sports! pic.twitter.com/PJHghnQBBv
— andrew wiggins (@22wiggins) October 20, 2019
Wiggins, a player that fans like to joke about because of his ludicrous contract, lack of production, and inefficient style of play, is definitely making an impact in the area he can control, and this one is inarguably more important.
Sidenote: Wiggins has attempted 58 field goals this year and only has two assists, so yeah, you can see how these jokes have merit.
However, this bodes well for the charities he donates to. He’s a bucket-getter, and though he may not be the most efficient, Wiggins has proved he can hit big shots. He did it in the Timberwolves win over the Nets in the opening game of the season, and he scored 16 in the fourth in their win against the Heat a few nights ago.
https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status/1188627242424946688?s=20
Last season, Wiggins scored 1,321 points, which translated to almost $30,000 to charity. Surprisingly, the numbers are expected to go up this year. Amidst the controversy that Jimmy Butler swirled up last season, the heart of Karl-Anthony Towns and Wiggins were questioned.
Wiggins in particular has been labeled as being passive, and undeserving of the near-$150 million deal he got last year. Now, Alongside KAT, Wiggins looks to prove his worth, especially while helping lead the Timberwolves to the playoffs and prove the doubters wrong.
The former number-one overall pick makes a whopping amount of money, but he doesn’t count other people’s dollars. Instead, what’s important to look at is how they use their platform and opportunity to inspire growth and change in underprivileged communities.
With Wiggins’ efforts, he’s doing just this, and we applaud him for it.
