“Season Of Giving” Continues With 5 Events Tuesday

Rowan Kavner

LOS ANGELES – From DeAndre Jordan presenting middle school kids new basketball hoops to a handful of Clippers players providing families with gifts and food and others hosting holiday shopping sprees, the Clippers went throughout the Los Angeles area Tuesday to give back during the holiday season.

The Clippers continued to make an impact in the community during their “Season of Giving” with five different events Tuesday, including their “Adopt A Family” event at The Salvation Army Siemon Family Youth and Community Center, in which multiple players read holiday books to children and gave out gifts.

“It’s great,” said Glen “Big Baby” Davis. “It’s a great opportunity to really see these families and put a smile on their face. You have no idea what these people are going through. To be able to make them smile is something great. I’m glad I have the chance to joining the Clippers and Salvation Army.”

Jordan, Davis, J.J. Redick and Hedo Turkoglu attended the event, with Redick and Davis reading aloud on microphones to the children.

“They see us on TV, so it’s almost to the point like, ‘Can I touch him? It’s a reality that we’re here,” Davis said. “Seeing us on TV to now seeing us in person, it makes them smile.”

Jordan also went earlier in the day to team up with the DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation as part of its #HoopsHoliday campaign, surprising more than 200 students by giving away two basketball hoops to a local middle school.

“Especially with DICK’S giving away these basketball goals all over the country, that’s something that’s great,” Jordan said. “Any time I can partner up with something like that, these kids, just to see their faces, that was a joy in itself.

“Access to sports is great to kids. Like I said before, it brings a ton of different people together. You can be from two totally different backgrounds, but sports can bring you together. I feel like that’s what DICK’S is doing here.”

Jordan’s morning event at the middle school featured kids participating in a dribble race and a dunk contest, in which Jordan helped out. Jordan also addressed the school students along with ESPN’s Michelle Beadle.

“Just talking in front of kids is great, because I’m still a kid at heart, to be honest,” Jordan said. “It’s just fun to see the smile you can give somebody to create joy in somebody else’s life.”

In addition, Spencer Hawes, Chris Paul and Jamal Crawford all hosted separate holiday shopping events for children in need.
Hawes hosted children of military families, doing a holiday shopping spree at Toys R Us for the “Hawes-A-Clause” Toy Shopping Event. Paul hosted local inner city children to a holiday shopping spree and Crawford treated local inner city children to a holiday toy distribution.

In total, the Clippers “Season of Giving” movement will feature at least 15 events this holiday season. The Clippers will continue their “Season of Giving” throughout the month for children, families and non-profit organizations throughout Los Angeles and Southern California.

The Clippers “Season of Giving” campaign tipped off on Nov. 14 with the team’s annual Teamwork at the Table event at St. Joseph Center in Santa Monica. The “Season of Giving” movement continued in December with the team participating in #GivingTuesday on Dec. 2, as fans, season-ticket holders and local businesses joined together to provide tickets for 3,000 children in need to attend Clippers games this month.

Fans can use #ClippersGiveBack to participate in the Clippers “Season of Giving” movement via social media.

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