Getty Images Kawhi Leonard partners with non-for-profit Baby2Baby to donate one-million backpacks to the Los Angeles City elementary schools
Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is in his first season with the team and has already made a huge impact on the city. After Thursday’s nail-biting victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, Kawhi entered his postgame press conference in a white t-shirt filled with children’s writing all over it.
As Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints cited, Leonard revealed the shirt was gifted to him by an elementary student as a thank you for a backpack drive he was involved in.
Here’s a look at the t-shirt the elementary school kids made for Kawhi Leonard as a thank you for the backpacks. #Clippers
As ClutchPoints reported, the three-time All-Star further explained that he participated in a drive that gave away free backpacks to the kids of Los Angeles and Moreno Valley. Leonard said he wore the shirt in support of the children who made it. The shirt included phrases such as, “BE KIND ALWAYS,” “Be kind and carry on,” as well as drawings of a basketball and a Clippers logo.
The Backpack Drive
Getty ImagesKawhi Leonard celebrates after backpack drive
California native, Kawhi Leonard revealed that it was important for him to give back to the city. He stated that his “goal this year is to make a meaningful contribution both on and off the court,” Leonard said, via Clippers.com. “This felt like the right way to get started. It was important to me to make this announcement in my hometown of Moreno Valley at my former Elementary School, but the benefits this program will have across all of Los Angeles makes today even more special.”
According to ClutchPoints, Leonard partnered with the non-for-profit Baby2Baby, to donate one-million backpacks to the city of Los Angeles and Moreno Valley. The donation was made in hopes to help low-income families with their back to school shopping. The donations covered all the students in Moreno Valley Unified, Inglewood Unified and Los Angeles Unified School Districts. The kids of Los Angeles didn’t only welcome an all-star they can enjoy watching on their television screens, they welcomed back a California native that they can look up to for inspiration on and off the court.
According to its website, Baby2Baby is a not-for-profit committed to helping children living in poverty. Their mission is to “provide children living in poverty ages 0-12 years with diapers, clothing, and all the basic necessities that every child needs.”
Getty ImagesChildren of Los Angeles elementary schools celebrate one-million backpack donation by Clippers star Kawhi Leonard and non-for-profit Baby2Baby
Timing
Kawhi Leonard was seen wearing the shirt after receiving a lot of backlash for he and the team’s decision to not play him during back-to-back games. Leonard sat out in Wednesday night’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks due to load management. Per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN, the NBA reported that the team was in compliance with their rules to manage his load due to a knee injury. Though, head coach Doc Rivers was questioned many time regarding Kawhi’s injury in which he said Leonard “feels great,” per ESPN. According to Youngmisuk, The NBA found these statements inconsistent with the super star’s health and fined The Los Angeles Clippers $50,000 prior to their game against the Trail Blazers.
The fine didn’t seem to affect The Klaw as he started in last night’s game, wrapping the night up with 27 points, leading the Clippers to victory.