SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (August 9, 2021) – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today the winners of the 2021 Mannie Jackson - Basketball’s Human Spirit Award. Honored for their outstanding humanitarian efforts, the 2021 award recipients are Ray Allen, Vinny Del Negro and Renee Montgomery. The winners will be formally recognized in September 2021during Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend.
“The Basketball Hall of Fame is proud to recognize Ray Allen, Vinny Del Negro and Renee Montgomery as the 2021 Mannie Jackson Award recipients,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “While the Hall if known as a place to honor and celebrate those who excelled on the hardwood, we know it’s equally important to recognize those who have used their basketball platform to better their communities and leave a lasting impact off the court as well. These three recipients are very deserving of this award, and we look forward to honoring them this fall.”
Established in 2007, the Mannie Jackson - Basketball’s Human Spirit Award honors individuals who have found the game of basketball to be a contributing aspect of their personal growth and accomplishment, a place to develop an understanding of others and an avenue that has helped shape his or her growth into a recognized visionary leader. 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.
Allen, Del Negro and Montgomery were chosen from a large candidate pool that represents every level of basketball and is reviewed annually by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Mr. Jackson. The winner recognition process was paused in 2020 due to the global pandemic and two sets of winners are being recognized in the 2021 calendar year. Wayne Embry, George Raveling and Bill Russell were recognized in May 2021.
“A Hall of Fame should recognize great athletes, but also the great people who are in athletics and are doing extraordinary things for the world around them,” said Mannie Jackson, the Award’s namesake. “The people we are honoring have all made tremendous efforts to better their communities and our nation in a variety of ways. We thank them for their contributions and willingness to lead in this space.”
Jackson, in addition to his business successes, is a Past-Chairman of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and a recipient of the NCAA’s coveted Theodore Roosevelt Award in 2015. A former Illinois Big Ten All-Star and a team captain for the Harlem Globetrotters, Jackson retired as a senior executive and corporate officer for Honeywell Inc. and in the early 1990’s he purchased the Legendary Globetrotters from bankruptcy. In 2002, the resurrected Harlem Globetrotters were elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Jackson was the first of three Black owners of a major sports and entertainment organization and his family’s charitable contributions have totaled over $15 million.
In 2012, Jackson penned his bestselling autobiography, “Boxcar to Boardrooms” and continues to donate generously to numerous causes including the University of Illinois, South African youth funds, cancer research and the Basketball Hall of Fame. He is also active in promoting the mission of the Mannie Jackson Center for the Humanities located in his hometown Edwardsville, Illinois, while serving as the Center’s lead investor. He was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.
The Mannie Jackson - Basketball’s Human Spirit Award Winners 2021
Ray Allen – Since 1997, Ray Allen’s “Ray of Hope Foundation” has been offering hope to children in underserved and under resourced communities. The foundation aims to provide opportunity, education, and knowledge, while bolstering self-worth and imagination. In 2011, Ray of Hope launched an ambitious initiative to help level the playing field in the digital sector by building and refurbishing computer labs. New flat-screen monitors, desktop computers designed to handle the modern needs of students, and the proper learning environment are all part of the program. The Ray of Hope Foundation has partnered with nearly 50 organizations over the past 25 years and more than a dozen computer labs from Boston to Miami have welcomed Ray and his message of hope into schools.
Vinny Del Negro – As a player, coach, executive and broadcaster, Vinny Del Negro is now over 30 years into his professional career. While his role has changed, one constant in his life of basketball has been giving back - to players, kids and his hometown. A native of Springfield, Mass. where basketball was invented by Dr. James Naismith, Del Negro established the Vinny Del Negro Endowment Fund in 1991 to help support Brightside for Families & Children, a local organization dedicated to healing and transforming the lives of youths and families. In 1999, then Governor of Massachusetts Paul Cellucci honored Del Negro with its Service Award, and in 1994, USA WEEKEND recognized Vinny as one of five professional athletes to receive the Most Caring Athlete Award.
Renee Montgomery – Two-time WNBA champion and NCAA National Champion Renee Montgomery is recognized as a leader among professional athletes when it comes to social justice and standing up for what she believes. She started the Renee Montgomery Foundation in 2019, which focuses on initiatives such as “The Last Yard” - a partnership with Morris Brown College in Atlanta that helps students with financial assistance needed to complete a school year or finish coursework to graduate and “Remember The 3rd” - a non-partisan effort that aims to amplify the role of social media to inform, educate, and motivate all citizens to vote. Her “Moments Equal Momentum” philosophy means assisting and educating all walks of life while recognizing the importance and opportunity of every moment.
The Mannie Jackson – Basketball’s Human Spirit Award Winners 2007-2019
2020: Wayne Embry, George Raveling, Bill Russell
2019: Carmelo Anthony, TyRone Brown, Dawn Staley
2018: J.J. Barea, Tina Charles, Boris Diaw
2017: Bob Hurley, Nancy Lieberman, Dwyane Wade
2016: Chris Paul, Jalen Rose, Tubby Smith
2015: Paul Fireman, Bill Self, Steve Smith
2014: Bob Delaney, Robert L. Johnson
2013: Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Pat Summitt,
Boo Williams
2012: Jim Calhoun, Grant Hill, Dr. Richard Lapchick
2011: Chauncey Billups, Dr. John “Jumpin’ Johnny” Kline, The V Foundation
2010: Jim Boeheim, Samuel Dalembert, Alfreda Harris
2009: Ken Hudson, Bob Lanier, Alonzo Mourning
2008: Sonny Hill, David Robinson
2007: Dikembe Mutombo
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit www.hoophall.com, follow @hoophall #MannieJacksonAward or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.
Basketball Hall of Fame Media Contact: Nicole Taylor,Position Sports, [email protected]