Many people celebrate and show their respect for our military service members on Veterans Day. The NBA has taken it a step further by starting Hoops For Troops, a year round initiative that honors active and retired military men and women and their families. NBA Cares teamed up with the Department of Defense, USO and other military and veteran-serving organizations to make this initiative possible.
Throughout the year teams and players participate alongside service members in hands-on community outreach events around the country, helping to improve different neighborhoods.
However, at the beginning of this month, the NBA dedicated November 4th-12th as Hoops For Troops Week so the fans and everyone else around the country could be involved, too.
During Hoops For Troops Week, teams and players still participated in community service acts with military men and women, but they also honored them at the start of different team games nightly, wore Hoops For Troops apparel during the games, offered discounted tickets for service members, and had several special halftime activities to showcase the veterans.
Other than game involvement, the week included several events and projects. There were Hoops For Troops basketball clinics, breakfast’s, leadership seminars, video game competitions and career fair’s. All 30 teams were also devoted to service missions throughout the week.
The Dallas Mavericks took part in a Commitment To Service event in Texas helping to build wheelchair ramps for the Texas ramp project. Aj Hammons and Dorian Finney led the project for the Mavs.
A few action shots from today's #HoopsForTroops Commitment to Service Project with @doefinney_10 and AJ Hammons @nbacares pic.twitter.com/z1YqslPrip
— Mavs Care (@MavsCare) November 4, 2016
The Utah Jazz teamed up with the Veterans Affair Center in Salt Lake City to participate in a fall clean up project. Assistant Coach Johnnie Bryant and point guard George Hill are seen below helping rake leaves.
.@jbryant3 & @George_Hill3 rake some leaves at the @vasaltlakecity. #HoopsForTroops @nbacares pic.twitter.com/ZHHH5sIasu
— Utah Jazz Doing Good (@JazzDoingGood) November 3, 2016
The Houston Rockets also joined men and women of the military in a renovation project where they helped with painting and landscaping.
Rockets players joined men & women from the military in doing renovation projects such as painting & landscaping for AAMA. #HoopsForTroops pic.twitter.com/JWb0N0qgwx
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) November 11, 2016
The Warriors staff teamed up with Operation Care and Comfort, the U.S. Marine Corp, U.S. Coast Guard, Diageo and Crown Royal to put together care packages for troops deployed overseas.
Preparing care packages for the troops overseas with @OperationCandC, @USMC, @USCG, @Diageo_NA & @CrownRoyal! #HoopsForTroops 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/YbWEItIigo
— GoldenStateWarriors (@warriors) November 11, 2016
Although Hoops For Troops Week has now ended, the commitment to service by the NBA is not over. Teams and players continue to help active and retired military members year round. Stay updated on community service acts you can participate in with the NBA via HoopsForTroops.com and the NBA Cares social media accounts. You can also share your own story and read about others on the site. Join the movement, #HoopsForTroops.