Monday, April 08, 2013

Basketball Hall of Fame Recognizes Leaders from Professional, Amateur and Grassroots Basketball
for their Humanitarian Efforts

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today that 12-time NBA All-Star and Hall of Famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Hall of Fame Coach Pat Summitt and youth basketball ambassador Boo Williams, have all been named winners of the 2013 Mannie Jackson - Basketball’s Human Spirit Award. The winners will be recognized on September 7th during events leading up to the 2013 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremonies.

“This year’s winners of the Mannie Jackson – Basketball’s Human Spirit Award have all contributed greatly to the game of basketball and are active members in their community,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “It is an honor to recognize and celebrate these three distinguished humanitarians, all of whom have dedicated their lives to helping others through the game they love.”

The criteria for award winners includes embracing the core values of the game, hard work, striving to improve the community and making a commitment to others. Beyond the game, award winners must reflect the values of Mannie Jackson’s life-long mission to overcome obstacles and challenge the status quo, while taking responsibility for his or her actions and seeking the highest standard of excellence.

Johnson, Summitt and Williams were chosen from a group of nine finalists after nominations were screened by a distinguished selection committee, appointed by the Hall of Fame and Mr. Jackson. Beginning in 2009, the finalists were grouped in three categories, representing the professional, amateur and grassroots levels of basketball.

Previous winners of the award include current NBA players Grant Hill, Chauncey Billups and Samuel Dalembert; former NBA All-Star and Georgetown standout Alonzo Mourning; former Harlem Globetrotter and college basketball All-American Dr. John “Jumpin’ Johnny” Kline; former Georgetown University center and NBA Global Ambassador Dikembe Mutombo; Philadelphia legend Sonny Hill; former NBA official Ken Hudson; Hall of Famers Bob Lanier, David Robinson, Jim Boeheim and Jim Calhoun; President and CEO of the National Consortium for Academics and Sport, Dr. Richard Lapchick and The V Foundation for Cancer Research.
 
The Mannie Jackson – Basketball’s Human Spirit Award Winners 2013
Representing the Professional Game:
Earvin “Magic” Johnson
- Hall of Famer and 12-time NBA All-Star who created the Magic Johnson Foundation in 1991 in hopes of developing programs and support community based organizations. His community Empowerment Centers have impacted more than 200,000 kids, awarding over $3 million in hardware and software grants and awarded over $250,000 in online scholarships. Johnson has supported several charity groups including: Celebrity Fight Night Foundation, Charity Folks, Keep A Child Alive, The Miami Project and Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis. Over the years he has been an advocate of AIDS/HIV research and has helped several causes including: at risk/disadvantaged youths, education and family/parent support. Johnson was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.

Representing the Amateur ranks:
Pat Summitt –
For nearly four decades, Summitt led the Tennessee Lady Vols program to 16 SEC Championships, eight NCAA titles and seven NCAA Coach of the Year awards. In August 2011, Summitt announced that she was battling with early onset dementia, “Alzheimer’s type.” She finished the 2011-12 season and in November, she revealed the formation of her foundation, the Pat Summitt Foundation Fund with the proceeds going toward cutting-edge research. The Huntington Post named Summitt a 2011 Game Changer – an innovator, leader and role model who is changing the way we look at the world and the way we live. President Barack Obama presented her on April 19, 2012 in the White House with the 2012 Presidential Medal of Freedom award. She was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000.

Representing the Grassroots ranks:
Boo Williams – Founded the Boo Williams Summer league in 1982, which is a Youth Basketball Organization in Hampton Roads region of Virginia. Williams has coached and mentored over 2,500 student athletes both male and female. He also helped fund and build the Boo Williams Sportsplex, which is a multi-purpose, eight court, sport facility that hosts several basketball games throughout the year. In 2001 he was named Walt Disney Wide World of Sports Volunteer of the year and he serves on the USA/ABA Cadet Committee for Development of Future Olympians.

The Mannie Jackson – Basketball’s Human Spirit Award Winners 2007-2011

2012 Award Winners
Representing the Professional game: Grant Hill
Representing the Amateur ranks: Jim Calhoun
Representing the Grassroots ranks: Dr. Richard Lapchick

2011 Award Winners
Representing the Professional game: Chauncey Billups

Representing the Amateur ranks: The V Foundation 

Representing the Grassroots ranks: Dr. John “Jumpin’ Johnny” Kline

2010 Award Winners
Representing the Professional ranks: Samuel Dalembert

Representing the Amateur ranks: Jim Boeheim, Syracuse University

Representing the Grassroots ranks: Alfreda Harris

2009 Award Winners
Ken Hudson

Bob Lanier

Alonzo Mourning
 


2008 Award Winners
Sonny Hill
David Robinson
 

2007 Award Winner
Dikembe Mutombo

About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame:
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was invented, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level – professional, collegiate and high school, for both men and women on the global stage.