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Andrew LopezESPN
The NBA announced Sunday that Reggie Bullock, a Dallas Mavericks player, has been named the league’s 2021-22 Kareem Abdul–Jabbar Social Justice Champion.
Bullock is now the second recipient of this award, following Carmelo Anthony who won it a season ago. Bullock was among five finalists for this award, along with Milwaukee Bucks’ guard Jrue Holiday and Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jack Jr., Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, and Fred VanVleet, the Toronto Raptors’ guard.
Abdul-Jabbar declared Bullock the winner of a Mavericks shootaround video on Sunday morning.
Bullock was an active advocate for LGBTQ+ communities throughout his NBA career. He started this advocacy after the death of his sister Mia Henderson. Bullock stated that Henderson, a transgender woman, was killed and it was something that “hit home for me” and his family.
Bullock stated that the experience forced her to use her platform to do the right thing for her family and herself. Bullock spoke on TNT’s broadcast before Game 3 of the Western Conference finals. I was able to get connected with the right organizations to bring her name back out and help others stop such crazy things from happening.
Bullock has been involved in and participated with the NYC Pride March, GLAAD Media Award and NBA events for LGBTQ+ youth. In 2021, Bullock joined the Mavericks and began to work with various groups such as Abounding Prosperity in Dallas, Dallas Southern Pride (House of Rebirth), The Black-Tie Dinner and the Resource Center.
Bullock was named the recipient and will receive $100,000 from NBA to support a social justice organization. Bullock chose Kinston Teens to receive the money. According to their website, Kinston Teens is a youth-led non-profit organization with the mission of “empowering young people through leadership, service, and civic engagement”.
Each of the other finalists will each receive $25,000 as a contribution to a social organization.