During the recent NBA All-Star Game Weekend in Indianapolis, esteemed NBA players and their parents joined Indiana’s elite AAU basketball players and their parents to talk about giving back and navigating life as future NCAA D1, NBA, and WNBA players. The Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy at the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and Mothers of Professional Basketball Players, Inc. (MPBP, Inc.) partnered to present the All-Star 2024 Athlete and Parent Forum, an insightful discussion on building a lasting legacy on and off the court.
A panel of NBA and WNBA players and parents shared their personal experiences, providing a look inside what it means to have a career in professional basketball. They offered advice for aspiring athletes and their parents, answered their questions, and helped them understand how they can make a meaningful impact in lives and communities through their unique platforms as professional athletes and their family members.
Participating professional athletes and their parents included:
- Andre Iguodala, Acting Executive Director, National Basketball Players Association and former NBA player, and Linda Shanklin, President, MPBP, Inc.
- Gary Harris, Jr., current Orlando Magic player, Joy (Holmes) Harris, former WNBA player and Purdue Female Athlete of the Decade, and Gary Harris, Sr.
- Al Harrington, former NBA player, and Mona Lawton, former President, MPBP, Inc.
- Eddie Gill, former NBA player, and Kim Davis
“Athletes play an important role in their communities personally as well as professionally. This forum provided a unique opportunity for young athletes to learn skills that will help them give back in meaningful, effective ways, and we are pleased to partner with Mothers of Professional Basketball Players, Inc.,” said Una Osili, Ph.D., Dean’s Fellow of the Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy. “Sports and philanthropy are natural allies. Athletes have the potential to raise awareness and drive philanthropic action that can inspire solutions. These conversations will help these young players enhance their philanthropic activities and advocacy skills to work for social change.”
“As parents of highly successful athletes, we have seen firsthand both the challenges and the opportunities that a career in Division 1 and professional basketball can bring. We are mentors and friends providing resources and services, helping rising stars and their families learn from the experience our children and our families have gained as they learn to navigate life in the NBA and other professional leagues,” said Linda Shanklin, President of Mothers of Professional Basketball Players, Inc.
"Our organization serves those in need, and we strive to serve as positive role models through charity, service, and scholarships,” Shanklin continued. “We encourage our children to be role models in their communities and to make a meaningful impact by giving back in a wide variety of ways. It is a pleasure to collaborate with the Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy to help these young players strengthen and hone those skills."
Mothers of Professional Basketball Players, Inc., supports communities and makes a difference in the lives of those who live where their children live, work, and play. The organization impacts lives through charities, volunteer efforts, and fundraising, while continuing to build and promote a sisterhood among women who share the common bond of mothers of professional athletes.
The All-Star 2024 Athlete and Parent Forum was sponsored by The Indianapolis Foundation and The Office of The Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Indiana University.