Pelicans' CJ McCollum Wins NBA's Citizenship Award; Kyrie Irving, JJJ Among Finalists

New Orleans Pelicans veteran guard CJ McCollum has been rewarded for his work off the court, as the NBA announced on Monday that he is the winner of the 2023-24 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award.

McCollum beat out fellow finalists Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr., Miami Heat assistant coach Caron Butler and Washington Wizards forward Anthony Gill for the award, which is "presented annually by the PBWA to a player, coach or athletic trainer who shows outstanding service and dedication to the community."

"Helping people is the greatest gift in the world," McCollum told Andscape's Marc J. Spears. "And out of all the things that I've been able to do in my life, the greatest joy I get is in seeing people genuinely appreciate it, whether that's conversations, whether that's health, whether that's resources, whether that is an opportunity."

He continued: "Seeing the look on some of these kids and their family's faces and some of my interactions with them is something that I'll hold onto forever. And genuinely seeing how appreciative everyone has been from me helping people has taught me a great sense of empathy."

McCollum partnered with the non-profit College Beyond to launch the McCollum Scholars Program in January. The program provides eleven New Orleans students with $100,000 each to pursue four-year degrees, a $1.1 million commitment from the 32-year-old.

Two months later, McCollum opened the CJ McCollum Dream Center at the Westbank Boys & Girls Club of Metro Louisiana, his third Dream Center and the first in Louisiana since he was acquired by the Pelicans from the Portland Trail Blazers in 2022. McCollum has "described the centers as a beacon of hope and a safe haven where youth can explore, learn and grow," and the one opened this year includes new laptops, tablets, virtual reality headsets and a library, among other innovations.

"There's a lot of awards you can win in this league, and a lot of them are centered around your individual talents and kind of what you've achieved on the court. And this award is so much more," McCollum told Spears. "It's a combination of so many different things in terms of impact, selflessness, serving people."