NEW YORK – The NBA will honor our nation’s military this Veterans Day with its annual Hoops for Troops Week (Nov. 3-11).  Through the league’s Commitment to Service program, teams will work side-by-side with the military to participate in various service projects across the U.S. to support local communities.

In collaboration with the Department of Defense, the NBA will continue to focus on the four pillars of the Commitment to Service initiative: leadership, transition, community and health.  NBA Teams and their current and former players will partner with local installations and a variety of military and veteran-serving organizations for several events, including leadership seminars, community service projects and basketball-focused fitness activities for active and retired service members and their families.  Highlights of team events include:

• Boston Celtics Head Coach Brad Stevens will work with his family and local military to distribute Thanksgiving meals to those in need in the Boston community.
• In partnership with Rebuilding Together, the Miami Heat will work with the military to rebuild the homes of two local veteran families.
• As part of the GrizzFit Kids Boot Camp, members of the Memphis Grizzlies and military personnel will assist youth in a variety of fitness activities to promote a healthy lifestyle.
• New Orleans Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson will join members of the military to read to youth at a local elementary school.

During Hoops for Troops Week, NBA players and officials will wear special oncourt apparel, including adidas shooting shirts and sweatshirts, as well as Stance socks honoring members of the military.  Hoops for Troops shooting shirts are available for purchase on NBAStore.com, with a portion of sales being donated to the USO.

The NBA will also continue the Commitment to Service Pledge Tracker, encouraging fans to share comments and photos that show how they serve their local communities using #HoopsforTroops.

Last month, the NBA announced the 18^th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin E. Dempsey, will act as Special Adviser to Commissioner Adam Silver.  General Dempsey will also serve as chairman of the newly formed Jr. NBA Leadership Council.

About NBA Cares
NBA Cares is the league’s global social responsibility program that builds on the NBA’s mission of addressing important social issues.  This season, as part of the 10^th anniversary of its creation, NBA Cares is renewing its commitment to communities around the world by inspiring play and teaching basketball’s values to more than 15 million youth, providing an additional 3 million hours of hands-on service to others, and leaving a lasting legacy in communities by building 1,000 more safe places to live, learn or play by 2025.  NBA Cares works with internationally recognized youth-serving programs that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes, including: Special Olympics, YMCA of the USA, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, UNICEF, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Share Our Strength and GLSEN.