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Chicago Bulls Receive Team Humanitarian Award at ESPYS

Paul Steeno|

The Chicago Bulls neither won a championship trophy, nor made a huge splash in free agency this summer, yet on Wednesday night, they emerged as true winners.

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During the annual ESPY Awards, presented by ESPN and ABC, the Bulls won the 2015 Humanitarian Team of the Year award. This inaugural award honors a team that exemplifies outstanding service within their communities. The Bulls failed to get the job done this year on the court, however off the court, they were the champions of the sports world.

According to Daily Herald News Services, during the 2014-15 season, the Bulls organized over 100 community service events that affected over 30,000 people. The Bulls own a non-profit organization called Chicago Bulls Charities, that has recently focused its attention on addressing “youth education, health and wellness and violence prevention.” Along with the acknowledgement, Chicago Bulls Charities will receive a $75,000 grant from ESPN.

Chicago Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf issued a statement after the announcement:

"“The Bulls feel a great sense of responsibility to give back to the city of Chicago and the people who give so much to us. The team’s commitment to helping others has been steadfast for many years, but it has been incredible to watch our work evolve and flourish over the last few years under Michael and Nancy’s leadership. I am very proud of the terrific job they have done engaging players, coaches, staff, corporate partners and community partners with the goal of helping others. We thank ESPN for this incredible honor and for recognizing the positive impact sports teams can have in a community.”"

Big men Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol deserve special recognition for their individual efforts throughout the last year. Both players were finalists for the season-long NBA Cares Community Assist Award, which recognizes a player that made outstanding contributions to their community. Oklahoma City point guard Russell Westbrook ended up winning the award.

According to its website, the Gasol Foundation, founded by brothers Pau and Marc Gasol, dedicates its time to “empowering young people to live healthier lives.” During this past season, Gasol dedicated his time as a “Hoops for St. Jude” ambassador and a regular visitor to children’s hospitals.

Noah deserves special consideration for his charitable contributions in the last year. For his efforts, the NBA awarded him the NBA Cares Community Assist Award for the month of February.

In collaboration with his mom Cecilia Rodhe, Noah has established a highly impactful charitable organization known as the Noah’s Arc Foundation. In the month of February, Noah’s foundation began a campaign known as the “Rock Your Drop: The Drop of Consciousness” which seeks to spread awareness about violence in Chicago. According to its website, the intended purpose of this anti-violence campaign is to remember those that have fallen victim to violence and encourage residents to work together to end the violence in Chicago.

With the help of teammates Derrick Rose, Nazr Mohammed and Taj Gibson and journalist Alex Kotlowitz, Noah’s foundation through the “Rock Your Drop” initiative, created a mini-documentary entitled “You’re Not Alone” recounting the stories of those who have lost loved ones to violence.

Last summer, Noah’s organization produced a public service announcement entitled ‘Chicago Stand Up’ that urges the community to end the violence in Chicago.

Shortly after its release, Noah explained the purpose and timing of the video:

"“The summer months bring a lot of violence, and we felt it was urgent to get this PSA out now in order to bring some hope, change and support to the community. I appreciate the support Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the city of Chicago have provided in working to secure participation of the local news stations to run the PSA and raise awareness about this critical issue.”"

In addition, Noah’s Arc Foundation hosted an inner-city basketball tournament that pitted rival gang members against each other to produce unity through basketball. The annual tournament was held at the United Center, and the expectation was that participants would take “the spirit of cooperation back into their communities”.

Although this truly was a team award, Noah and Gasol deserve special recognition for their outstanding charitable contributions last season. None of the foundations mentioned above show any visible signs of slowing down, making a repeat for the Chicago Bulls highly possible.

At the end of the day, championship trophies fade away and are forgotten while the collective charitable contributions of this team will have a lasting impact. While winning this award doesn’t dilute the teams’ desire for a championship next season, it is a nice reminder that people recognize their efforts beyond the basketball court. The Bulls have “won” this summer in the eyes of all the people that they have positively impacted. The on-court failures of last season can never take away from that.

Next: Jimmy Butler: A Team USA Ballstopper in 2016 Olympics?

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