Many NBA players give back to those less fortunate than themselves during the holiday season, and NBA rookie Anthony Davis is no different. On Sunday, the New Orleans Hornets star and South Side native, donated coats to children at the Englewood church he grew up in and the one his family still attends.
Davis himself was unavailable to be there as he is back in New Orleans, his first time being away from home for the holidays. But he did speak to NBC Chicago by phone on the coat donations, expressing a sincere desire to give back to those who live in the city that shaped him and made him into the person he is today.
“I just wanted to give back to the city that helped me through everything,” remarked Davis from his New Orleans home. "God has blessed me and with how I was raised, giving back is just a part of who I am."
Coordinating the event in his absence was his mother, Erainer, twin sister Antoinette, oldest sister Iesha, and his father, Anthony Davis Sr.
“We just wanted to do something for the kids in Englewood and this is the church that Anthony belongs to,” said Davis Sr. “He’s gotten a blessing from God and he just wanted to give back to the kids in the community that’s less fortunate for the holidays.”
In conjunction with Nike, Davis’ sneaker endorser, about 50 kids received an 8x10 photo of Davis in his Team USA uniform along with a brand new, down-filled Nike coat to help get them through the rough Chicago winter, something Anthony – and Chicagoans in general – are all too familiar with.
“Nico [Harris] of Nike and my wife got together and orchestrated everything with Anthony. That’s how this all came together,” explained Davis Sr. “He’s a great kid and always wants to give back. This was one of the things that he was adamant about doing this year. He wanted to take care of the kids in the church that he belonged to.”
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“I love my city,” said Davis, expressing a sentiment shared by all professional athletes from Chicago. “I love kids and I wanted to help those who are unfortunate enough to not have a coat at this time of year when it’s cold out. That was important to me."
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