Stephen Curry, the 2023 Social Justice Award winner

• Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry has won the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award
• Curry is the third player to win the award after Reggie Bullock and Carmela Anthony who won the inaugural award in 2021
• The award recognizes the player who exemplifies civil rights, Black empowerment, and racial equality

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry has been named the winner of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award. This was announced by the NBA on Tuesday. The prestigious award is named after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Kareem is a legendary player and advocate for civil rights, and recognizes the player who best exemplifies Abdul-Jabbar’s message of civil rights, Black empowerment, and racial equality.

Curry, a highly accomplished player with four NBA championships and two MVP titles, was selected for his extensive efforts in advocating for various causes. His work includes championing voting rights and promoting gender and racial equity in sports. In addition, he is addressing food scarcity in underserved communities.

Furthermore, Curry serves as the co-chair of Michelle Obama’s “When We All Vote” initiative. He is serving alongside athletes Chris Paul and Megan Rapinoe, and singer-actress Janelle Monae. The initiative aims to increase participation in elections and bridge racial and age gaps. Additionally, Curry has been actively involved in the league’s and player union’s joint social justice-focused coalition. They are advocating for the passage of the Freedom to Vote Act, which seeks to expand voter registration and access.

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Through his UNDERRATED brand, Curry has provided scholarships for high school athletes and made a significant financial commitment. This is to support Howard University’s men’s and women’s golf teams, which are historically Black. Alongside his wife, Ayesha, Curry continues to run the Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, focusing on childhood nutrition and physical activity in Oakland, California. The foundation has made a substantial impact by providing meals and books to Oakland students. Furthermore, he is renovating playgrounds in the city.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry is the winner of the 2023 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Award. | PHOTO: NBA |

In addition, as the recipient of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award, Curry will receive a $100,000 donation to the charity of his choice. He has chosen the University of San Francisco Institute for Nonviolence and Social Justice. This is an organization dedicated to advancing the theory and practice of transformational nonviolence. They do this in order to address injustice and systemic violence.

Curry was among the finalists for the award. The finalists included Jaren Jackson Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies, Tre Jones of the San Antonio Spurs, Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns, and Grant Williams of the Boston Celtics. Each finalist will receive a $25,000 grant for their respective social justice-focused organizations.

Previous recipients of the award include Reggie Bullock of the Dallas Mavericks in 2022 and Carmelo Anthony, who won the inaugural award in 2021. The winner is determined by a committee. The committee comprises Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Marc Morial (President and CEO of the National Urban League), Mark Tatum (NBA Deputy Commissioner), and other members.