NEW YORK – Motor City Cruise guard ShawnDre’ Jones is the winner of the 2021-22 NBA G League Community Assist Award, the NBA G League announced today.  Jones becomes the second player to win the award, joining Santa Cruz Warriors forward Juan Toscano-Anderson, who received the inaugural honor in 2020.

Jones is the co-founder of Adapt, Overcome, Conquer (AOC) Outreach Services, which has helped hundreds of children and young adults throughout the Houston community by providing mental health programming, crisis services, substance abuse and family therapy.  On February 12, Jones and AOC, which was established in 2019, teamed up with Cuney Homes to host a sneaker drive, ultimately donating more than 100 pairs of shoes to children and young adults in Houston.

Jones has made a strong impact in the Detroit community during his time with the Cruise through his philanthropic work.  In December, he joined Motor City President Rob Murphy and several of his teammates in surprising students at the Detroit Service Learning Academy, where more than 75 students received gift bags.  In January, Jones led a panel discussion with a group of metro Detroit mentoring organizations to discuss the role mentoring has played in their lives and careers as part of National Mentoring Month.  In March, he met with the Davidson Elementary and Middle School basketball teams to talk about the importance of life during and after basketball.

Jones has selected The House of Charity, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the life of children in Houston and around the globe, to receive a $10,000 contribution from the NBA G League in recognition of his award.

The Cruise and the NBA G League will recognize Jones prior to Motor City’s Eastern Conference Semifinals game on Friday, April 8 at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU, as part of the NBA G League Playoffs presented by Google Pixel.

About the NBA G League
The NBA’s official minor league, the NBA G League prepares players, coaches, officials, trainer and front-office staff for the NBA while acting as the league’s research and development laboratory.  Featuring 29 teams, 28 with direct affiliations to NBA franchises for 2021-22, the league offers elite professional basketball at an affordable price in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere.  41 percent of all NBA players at the start of the 2021-22 season boasted NBA G League experience.  In fostering the league’s connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote health and wellness, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA Cares programs.