The NBA All-Star Game, Skills Competition, Three-Point Contest, and Dunk Contest are all happening on Sunday. Given the rather hasty nature of how all of this came together, we’re still learning details about the event and the promised contributions the league and its partners will make to HBCUs and COVID-19 relief.
On Tuesday, the NBA announced how the $3 million set aside for the All-Star festivities will be distributed, with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, United Negro College Fund, and Direct Relief’s Fund for Health Equity as the recipients of the donations. The two All-Star teams, as has been the case in recent years, will each represent one organization, this year the TMCF and UNCF, with each organization getting a minimum of $500,000. The rest will be determined by the outcome of the game, with $150,000 going to the team that wins each of the first three quarters, and $300,000 going to the team that wins the game.
Each of the events that normally would take place on Saturday night will also have a charitable element, as the league broke down in their release.
Through the TMCF COVID-19 HBCU Emergency Fund, the three AT&T Slam Dunk contestants will be paired with an HBCU to provide financial support that will benefit students, faculty or programs that address emergency aid, technology needs, food insecurities and mental health services exacerbated by the pandemic. Each HBCU represented by the players will receive a $50,000 donation toward their respective school, with the winner earning an additional $100,000. AT&T will also provide a $100,000 contribution for the three dunkers in addition to donating $5,000 toward HBCU student initiatives through TMCF for every dunk during the NBA All-Star Game
As part of the Taco Bell Skills Challenge, the six participants will represent HBCU schools and students from a selected state. An initial donation of $35,000 will be given to students and institutions in each state through UNCF’s Emergency Student Aid program, which provides financial assistance for food and housing, emergency hardship and retention and degree completion to HBCU students. The winning Skills Challenge participant will earn an additional $40,000 to assist with critical financial support to HBCU schools and students from their selected state.
During the MTN DEW 3-Point Contest, every “Moneyball” shot made will yield a $3,500 donation, while “MTN DEW Zone” shots will be amplified and worth $5,000 and benefit Direct Relief’s Fund for Health Equity, which addresses gap funding for COVID-19 relief efforts in diverse communities throughout the country. In addition, MTN DEW will award $100,000 in newly-created MTN DEW Scholarships to two students from HBCUs during the 3-Point Contest broadcast.
The league also announced some pop-up grocery activations in Atlanta. This year’s game will have a very different look and feel than a typical All-Star Weekend, and amid plenty of valid questions about whether the festivities should be happening, the league has targeted a few worthy organizations to benefit from the March 7 event.
