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Congrats to my main man Mr. Big Shot.NEW YORK, May 5, 2008 – Chauncey Billups of the Detroit Pistons is the 2007-08 recipient of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award presented annually by the Professional Basketball Writers Association. The award is named for the second commissioner of the league and honors an NBA player or coach for outstanding service and dedication to the community.
Billups won the award for his charity work in Detroit and his hometown of Denver.
Among Billups’ charitable efforts in the Detroit area has been his involvement in the Children’s Center Annual Celebrity Golf Classic the past three years. All proceeds from the event benefit The Children’s Center, a non-profit organization established in 1929 as one of the nation’s first child guidance clinics. With Billups’ help, the organization has raised over $100,000 at each of the past three events.
The 10-year veteran has also supported Why Can’t I Go? (WCIG) the past seven years. Through WCIG, whose mission is to provide students the opportunity to learn through diverse traveling experiences, Billups flies a group of 20-30 underprivileged youth from the Minneapolis area to one Pistons game every year, providing tickets for them and meeting with the entire group after the game.
Billups’ main charitable effort in Denver continues to be his involvement in the Porter-Billups Leadership Academy with Regis University, an academic camp that readies kids for college. Billups takes part in a three-week camp each summer with students, promoting leadership, critical thinking, team work and conflict resolution skills.
The program strictly deals with academics and life skills. Graduates of the program who are accepted to Regis University receive Porter-Billups Academy scholarships that help balance tuition and fees to attend the university. In February, he hosted 10 youngsters excelling in the Porter-Billups Academy to a Pistons home game. The day included a trip to the Charles H. Wright African American Museum in Detroit as well as the Motown Museum.
The PBWA represents writers for newspapers, magazines and Internet services who cover the NBA on a regular basis. Members nominate players for the award, then a vote is taken by the membership of approximately 150. Charlotte’s Emeka Okafor was the other finalist for this year’s award.
Perhaps this will shake the whole "thug" title in Detroit. Because I can bet you Detroit does the most chairty work out of the whole NBA.