NEWSLETTER
Before the Chicago Bulls take on the Atlanta Hawks in the Play-In Tournament, DeMar DeRozan will take home some hardware.
The NBA announced on Wednesday morning that DeMAr DeRozan took home the Community Assist Award for the month of March. The veteran forward received the honor for his continued efforts toward mental health advocacy, as well as his work with youth in the Chicago area.
DeMar DeRozan’s Work Off the Court
DeRozan has received a lot of recent buzz for his YouTube series titled “Dinners With DeMar.” The project features multiple fellow NBA stars sitting down with DeRozan for an extended discussion about the importance of mental health. Draymond Green, Damian Lillard, and Dwyane Wade each appeared on the show.
The NBA also notes DeRozan’s partnership with Coffee, Hip-Hop & Mental Health in Chicago. The nonprofit provides free therapy to those in financial trouble. We’ve seen him work with Make-A-Wish this season and welcome a young cancer survivor to join the team on a road trip, as well.
“As a Bulls and NBA player, I’m grateful for the opportunity to build a platform I can use to make real change and work to break the stigma around mental health,” DeRozan said in a statement to the NBA. “Throughout the years, I’ve seen what can happen when people have honest conversations about mental health and understand that everyone faces challenges, including professional athletes. I look forward to creating more forums for difficult but necessary conversations and providing more resources to support mental health for those who most need it.”
DeRozan is now the third Bulls to receive a Community Assist Award over the past two seasons. Ayo Dosunmu was honored at the beginning of the 2023-24 campaign for his work during the past offseason, while Alex Caruso received the award in March of 2023.
For as much crap as I give this team for their inconsistent on-court product, nobody can deny this roster is full of great guys. So many players on this roster use their massive platform for good, which is especially important in a major market like Chicago.
Congrats to DeMar DeRozan!
Ps: Do yourself a favor and watch Alex Caruso break the news to the Bulls’ leading scorer on the team plane …
