NEW YORK – The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) today announced Miami Heat center-forward Bam Adebayo as the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award winner for December. Adebayo is being recognized for his leadership in hosting his annual holiday toy drive and creating unforgettable experiences for underserved youth through his foundation. The NBA and the NBPA Foundation will donate $20,000 to the Edrice Adebayo Foundation in honor of his efforts.

In December, Adebayo welcomed nearly 2,300 students from underserved communities to the Kaseya Center for his annual toy drive. Children enjoyed a holiday meal before participating in a game-style toy grab on the court, where they collected toys to take home. In total, more than 36,000 toys were distributed, with remaining gifts donated to local organizations across South Florida.

Adebayo also created unforgettable experiences for youth beyond Miami. He flew in eight student-athletes from his hometown (Greensboro, NC) and their chaperones for an exclusive game-day weekend, rewarding their hard work and academic achievement. The trip included a cooking class, a panel with Heat players, a boat ride, and a courtside game complete with jerseys and a meet-and-greet with Adebayo. Additionally, his foundation surprised fans in arena with seat upgrades, reinforcing its mission to spread joy in meaningful ways.

Further demonstrating his commitment, Adebayo organized a special outreach for five student-athletes facing significant hardships, flying them to Miami for a Heat game where they were recognized by Head Coach Erik Spoelstra and met with Heat President and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Pat Riley about what it takes to be successful. Each student received a Bam Care Package that included Air Jordan 1 Retros, full uniform outfits, and essential items. The experience inspired future aspirations, with several students expressing interest in careers in sports and media following the trip.

“To me, the holidays have always been a special time of year that inspires us to give back and serve others,” said Adebayo. “It’s about spreading kindness during a season that can be difficult for a lot of people. We go big in December, but the mission of my foundation is bigger than one moment on the calendar — it’s about showing up, putting in the work, and making an impact year-round.”

The NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award honors NBA legend and Hall of Famer Bob Lanier, an NBA League Office executive and NBA Cares Ambassador for more than 30 years. He had an enormous influence on the NBA family and young people globally, traveling the world to teach the values of the game and making a positive impact through his kindness and generosity. The legacy he built will continue to live on through the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award, which recognizes the next generation of players’ commitment to positively impacting their communities throughout the NBA season. Each NBA season has an offseason winner followed by seven monthly award winners. The offseason winner receives the Bob Lanier trophy, and each monthly winner receives the David Robinson trophy. The NBA and the NBPA Foundation also make a donation to the charity or foundation of the player’s choice. To learn more, please visit communityassist.nba.com.