Sixers star Ben Simmons using his celebrity to make a difference, help nonprofits | Off the Dribble
Philly Pledge’s goal is to inform people of verified local nonprofit organizations. It also directs them to be able to donate to links directly to the nonprofit organization.
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Happy Monday, folks.
Let’s make this a start of another productive week as we deal with this coronavirus pandemic. Please remain safe, keep washing your hands, and practice social distancing. Leave it up to Inquirer.com to keep you updated with the 76ers.
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— Keith Pompey (offthedribble@inquirer.com)
Ben Simmons, and The Philly Pledge
Call it “The Ben Simmons Movement”.
On Thursday, 76ers point guard Ben Simmons launched The Philly Pledge as a way for people to find local nonprofit organizations that are helping the less fortunate. The Philly Pledge encourages locals to donate to the PHL COVID-19 Fund and Philadundance online. The PHL COVID-19 Fund is for coronavirus relief, while Philadundance is a hunger-relief organization.
Simmons said folks can make a donation for as little as $25.
His idea is taking off.
Flyers standout Glaude Giroux, Sixers forward Tobias Harris, Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins, Phillies catcher Andrew Knapp, Phillies infielder Scott Kingery, ONE Championship fighter Eddie Alvarez, Eagles defensive back Jalen Mills, Eagles tight end Zack Ertz and his wife, Julie, a member of U.S. woman’s soccer team, and Sixers limited partner Michael Rubin are among the growing list of supporters.
Philly Pledge’s goal is to inform people of verified local nonprofit organizations. It also directs them to be able to donate to links directly to the nonprofit organization.
Simmons is the second Sixers standout lending a helping hand amid the coronavirus pandemic. Joel Embiid announced on Tuesday that he would donate $500,000 to COVID-19 relief.
Starting Lineup
Sixers mailbag: Josh Harris, Ben Simmons update, and the Oklahoma City Thunder pick. If you had as much money as Josh Harris, what would you do during this pandemic?
The WNBA draft will not be postponed, will be held as a virtual draft. This draft will be different from any in the past due to COVID-19, but the league is working to make it a good experience.
Josh Harris’ Sixers coronavirus pay-cut reversal shows power of collective action. It’s only through collective action, through a shared commitment to ideals, that billionaires can be shaken from their hubris. That’s what we saw happen with the reaction to the Sixers’ decision to cut some employees’ pay.
Writing about sports in the time of COVID-19. Does it feel strange to write about sports? Sure. But it does not feel strange at all to wish they’d return soon
Stephon Marbury lends a helping hand to New Yorkers
Stephon Marbury gave perhaps the biggest assistant of his lifetime.
The former NBA standout point guard and Coney Island native has made arrangements with a China mask supplier to sell New York 10 million masks for $2.75 apiece “at cost” – well below the rate -- around $7.50 -- that N95 retailers have been quoting the state.
Marbury lives in China and is a Chinese Basketball Association legend. He got the idea last week after learning about New York’s lack of protective gear and that exorbitant price the state has been paying for masks.
“At the end of the day, I am from Brooklyn,” Marbury told the New York Post via a phone conversation from his Beijing home. “This is something that is close and dear to my heart as far as being able to help New York.”.
Passing the Rock
Send questions by e-mail (kpompey@Inquirer.com) or on Twitter (@PompeyOnSixers)
Question: Assuming the rest of the season is canceled, what’s Brett Brown’s future? Has the season shown enough to move in a new direction? Related question, is Brown like Doug Collins with the Bulls? Good enough to get to a point, but not to the next level? — @SteveDiGiulio on Twitter
Answer: What’s up, Steve? Thanks for the great questions. I would say that this season has shown enough to move in a different direction. But, I also think there’s a slim chance Brown can retain his job if the coronavirus pandemic cancels the rest of the season. I’ll provide you the same reasoning I wrote to a similar question asked in my May 20 mailbag: There’s something inside of me that keeps saying that a cancellation of the season could help save Brown because of the amount of money the league and team would lose if the season does not resume. Would the Sixers want to be on the hook for the remaining years of his salary, in addition to paying a lucrative contract to a new coach? Or would they give Brown another chance at the start of next season, and decide to part ways if the team continues to struggle a couple of months in? I think if they continue to lose a lot of money, the latter is a strong possibility.
So I think this could help him save his job.
In regards to your second question, one could make a strong argument that he is the Doug Collins version of the Sixers. However, Collins’ didn’t have to deal with the injuries that Brown has had to overcome. Nor did Collins have to deal with all the roster movement that the Sixers have had under Brown.
As a result, one could argue that Brown hasn’t had an opportunity to show what he’s been able to do over an extended period of time with a healthy and consistent roster.