Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love was among five finalists named for the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award, ESPN announced on Wednesday.
The award is given to an athlete whose leadership has created a positive impact on their community through sports, and who embraces the core principles Ali embodied, according to a release from ESPN.
Former Minnesota Lynx star Maya Moore was also named a finalist, and the Sacramento Kings were one of four teams named finalists for the Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year award.
Love, who has publicly shared his own battles with anxiety and depression, was nominated in part for his work with the Kevin Love Fund, which has developed an education curriculum designed to destigmatize challenges with mental health. The fund is endowing a Research Chair at UCLA, Love’s alma mater, with the goal of helping psychologists working to revolutionize treatments for anxiety and depression.
Moore, a four-time WNBA champion who played for the Minnesota Lynx from 2011-18, stepped away from the game in her prime to pursue finding justice for Jonathan Irons, who as a minor in 1993 had been sentenced to 50 years in prison for burglary and assault. She has used her platform to raise awareness for Irons’ case, and launched a nationwide petition through Change.org, which gained over 125,000 signatures. Irons’ conviction was recently overturned by a Jefferson City (Mo.) judge.
The other finalists include Major League Baseball’s Nelson Cruz, the NFL’s Devin and Jason McCourty, and WWE wrestler Titus O’Neil.
The Sacramento Kings were nominated for the team award after creating a multi-year partnership with Build Black, which is a coalition formed to help transform African-American communities. Their partnership followed the tragic shooting of an unarmed black man, Stephon Clark, by police in March 2018. Kings players and staff have participated in youth healing forums, STEM education and mentoring workships, and a co-ed youth basketball league. The Kings also partnered with the Milwaukee Bucks to host Team Up For Change, which is a daylong summit designed to address social justice issues.
The Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York City FC were also named finalists.
Winners and finalists will be able to direct grants from ESPN to a charity related to their humanitarian efforts.
All nominees will be featured in ESPN studio shows the week of June 15, and winners will be announced during the 2020 ESPYS on June 21.
