Wade to be honored with Human Spirit Award by Hall of Fame
Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade was named one of the three recipients of this year's Mannie Jackson Basketball's Human Spirit Award, which is given by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Also receiving the award are esteemed St. Anthony High School head coach Bob Hurley and current Sacramento Kings assistant coach Nancy Lieberman.
Jackson was a senior executive of Honeywell Inc., and purchased the Harlem Globetrotters in 1993 after playing for the team. This made him the first African-American owner of a major sports and entertainment organization.
"The Mannie Jackson Award is an esteemed honor awarded only to those with the highest level of dedication to making a positive impact in the lives of others," said HOF president and CEO John L. Doleva, according to The Sun-Sentinel's Ira Winderman. "The Basketball Hall of Fame is proud to recognize Bob Hurley, Nancy Lieberman and Dwyane Wade as three exceptional humanitarians who have used basketball as a platform to improve the world around them, while creating opportunities for the next generation of leaders."
The Hall had this to say of Wade in particular, according to Winderman:
Understanding that his life is bigger than basketball, 12-time NBA All-Star Dwyane Wade and his family established the Wade's World Foundation in 2003, a nonprofit charity organization dedicated to giving back to at-risk communities of Chicago, Milwaukee, and the South Florida region. The foundation is dedicated to providing opportunities that enable children to overcome challenges, excel academically and reach their maximum potential while focusing on the initiatives of literacy, health and fatherhood. With a personal goal to give every child a shot at life, Dwyane and WWF support a variety of programs including literacy initiatives, youth basketball clinics, court refurbishments and holiday giving. Wade and his foundation have received numerous awards over the past 14 years including the NBA Cares season-long Kia Community Assist Award in 2013 and the BET Humanitarian Award.
Past winners from the NBA include Chris Paul, Magic Johnson, Grant Hill, Jalen Rose, Steve Smith, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo, and David Robinson.
Wade will receive the award Sept. 7 at a Reunion Dinner during Enshrinement Weekend in Springfield, Mass.