In response to the COVID-19 outbreak and the NBA putting its season on hold, Kevin Love donated $100,000 to the Cleveland Cavaliers staff.
When Kevin Love’s career wraps up, we’ll remember him as an NBA champion, five-time all-star and an inside-out double-double machine who threw the best outlet passes since Wes Unseld. However, his greatest contributions to the game come as a human off the court.
In 2018, Love broke through the stigmatic walls of mental health with his own Player’s Tribune post and launched his nonprofit focused on helping the cause. His latest commitment came in the form of a $100,000 donation through the Kevin Love Fund to quell financial anxieties of Cleveland Cavalier arena staff while the NBA season hangs in limbo. He released the news via Instagram:
“Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. And the fear and anxiety resulting from the recent outbreak of COVID-19 can be extremely overwhelming.
Through the game of basketball, we’ve been able to address major issues and stand together as a progressive league that cares about the players, the fans, and the communities where we work. I’m concerned about the level of anxiety that everyone is feeling and that is why I’m committing $100,000 through the @KevinLoveFund in support of the @Cavs arena and support staff that had a sudden life shift due to the suspension of the NBA season. I hope that during this time of crisis, others will join me in supporting our communities.
Pandemics are not just a medical phenomenon. They affect individuals and society on so many levels, with stigma and xenophobia being just two aspects of the impact of a pandemic outbreak. It’s important to know that those with a mental illness may be vulnerable to the effects of widespread panic and threat. Be kind to one another. Be understanding of their fears, regardless if you don’t feel the same. Be safe and make informed decisions during this time. And I encourage everyone to take care of themselves and to reach out to others in need — whether that means supporting your local charities that are canceling events, or checking in on your colleagues and family.”
On March 12, the NBA announced the season will be suspended for at least 30 days with uncertainty beyond that. Adam Silver made the correct and safe choice to halt operations – including team practices and meetings. The extremely difficult decision came after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the virus.
Social distancing and quarantines will curb the spreading of the potentially deadly virus and contain any active cases. In the places impacted around the world, businesses implemented full remote work models until things get under control.
However, not everybody’s job affords them the luxury of working from home. The economic ripple effects of sports leagues going on indefinite hiatus will hurt hourly employees who rely on that income to make ends meet.
Hopefully, Love’s generosity starts a chain reaction throughout the leagues and corporations across the country. Mark Cuban came out and said he already put a plan in place to financially cover the Mavericks’ employees during the shutdown. Maybe Love and Cuban set a precedent around the NBA. The other owners, especially, can afford to lend a hand during this crisis because to paraphrase Chris Rock, “Shaq is rich. The guy who signs his checks is wealthy.”
For more information about COVID-19, visit the CDC’s website or the website for your state’s Department of Health.