Stephen Curry earns an award he’d never won before: the 2022/23 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion

It seems like Stephen Curry is not only a Warrior on the NBA court, but also a social justice warrior on his time off. The Golden State star has been honored by the NBA as the 2022/23 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion.

The veteran point guard has been selected from a list of five finalists, awarding his constant dedication to reach social justice through his programs and while at it, further promote Abdul-Jabbar’s life mission to empower equality for individuals in a systematic society that oppresses most.

Check out the Hall of Famer’s personal congratulations to the 35-year-old athlete:

Congratulations to the amazing @StephenCurry30
I am so proud of you for being a champion on and off the court! https://t.co/CBlRGqiik1

— Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (@kaj33) May 23, 2023

“Curry prioritizes uplifting communities by fostering equity and creating access to opportunity,” the NBA wrote. “As a co-chair of former First Lady Michelle Obama’s ‘When We All Vote’ initiative, Curry uses his platform to drive voter registration, education and turnout, most recently during the 2022 election season.”

NBA.com explained how his actions impacted people all over the United States. “His role encouraged millions of new voters to participate in the political process and make their voices heard through civic engagement,” it reads.

In his team’s latest visit to the White House, Curry took the opportunity to address some social conflicts left unresolved. “He is also committed to raising awareness around issues of community safety, utilizing the Warriors’ 2023 White House visit to engage directly with President Biden and participate in a White House press briefing with head coach Steve Kerr to publicly address the matter,” the NBA stated.

The player’s list of initiatives to battle social injustices is a long one. With Unanimous Media, his multimedia company made it their main objective to inspire audiences through authentic storytelling, mostly dedicated to build bridges and further collaborations with talented writers, filmmakers, and overall creators throughout the entertainment industry.

With Curry’s nonprofit Eat. Learn. Play, co-founded with his wife Ayesha, he dedicates his efforts to fight malnutrition against every child in Oakland, California, ensuring they have access to food, resources and safe spaces to read and play.

Only in 2022, the foundation has provided over two million meals and delivered half a million books to Oakland students, funding over 1,500 teacher-led classroom literacy projects in the process, remodeled spaces for multi-sport courts purposes, including playgrounds, gardens and murals.

Curry is aware that as a superstar athlete he has a strong responsibility to give back to his community

After receiving this award for the first time, Curry felt overwhelmed with pride, as he is aware of his responsibilities to fight off injustices in the United States, and take special care of the community of Oakland, California.

“I’m passionate about the work of the University of San Francisco Institute for Nonviolence and Social Justice and its commitment to overcoming injustice and systemic violence through peace,” the Warriors star said. “As an athlete, I consistently leverage my platform to amplify advocacy and address the pervasive issue of systemic racism.”

Take a look at his full interview on this Tuesday’s edition of “Inside the NBA”:

“I firmly believe that we must be vocal both on social media and in real life, taking tangible actions to effect real change in our society and for generations to come,” he stated.

The four other finalists were Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Tre Jones from the San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul and finally Grant Williams from the Boston Celtics.