Reigning NBA MVP GIannis Antetokounmpo is doing his part to help out arena workers that will be negatively impacted financially by the league’s current suspension following the outbreak of the coronavirus. On Friday, Antetokounmpo took to Twitter to say that he planned to pledge $100,000 to the staff of Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.
“It’s bigger than basketball! And during this tough time I want to help the people that make my life, my family’s lives and my teammates lives easier,” Antetokounmpo wrote. “Me and my family pledge to donate $100,000 to the Fiserv Forum staff. We can get through this together!”
The gesture was obviously a great one that will go a long way toward helping those that need it during a very tough time. Coronavirus may not have a huge financial impact on wealthy NBA players, but it has the potential to be disastrous for those who work in or around the NBA in a non-basketball capacity, and clearly Antetokounmpo recognizes this.
Antetokounmpo’s announcement came a day after Cavaliers forward Kevin Love also pledged to donate $100,000 to the staff of the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland and shortly before it was announced that Pistons forward Blake Griffin would also be donating $100,000 to the workers at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
“Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. And the fear and anxiety resulting from the recent outbreak of COVID-19 can be extremely overwhelming,” Love wrote of his donation. “Through the game of basketball, we’ve been able to address major issues and stand together as a progressive league that cares about the players, the fans, and the communities where we work.
I’m concerned about the level of anxiety that everyone is feeling and that is why I’m committing $100,000 through the Kevin Love Fund in support of the Cavs arena and support staff that had a sudden life shift due to the suspension of the NBA season. I hope that during this time of crisis, others will join me in supporting our communities.”
The league’s current hiatus is expected to last at least 30 days, according to commissioner Adam Silver. As no unified plan has been presented to take care of the arena workers, it’s nice to see some players taking action into their own hands.
Courtesy: ESPN
