Tuesday 28 July 2020 06:49, UK
Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving has committed $1.5m to support WNBA players who decided to skip the 2020 season for health, personal, professional or safety-related reasons.
The fund is being administered by the KAI Empowerment Initiative, which Irving launched on Monday. It will also provide players with a financial literacy program created by UBS. The NBA veteran contributed all of the money.
Irving said that with the help of WNBA players Natasha Cloud - who chose to sit out - and Jewell Loyd, he connected with several WNBA players who discussed with him the challenges they faced in deciding whether to play. He decided to help with the financial burden in a league where the top annual salary is a little more than $200,000.
"Whether a person decided to fight for social justice, play basketball, focus on physical or mental health, or simply connect with their families, this initiative can hopefully support their priorities and decisions," Irving said in a statement.
WNBA players can apply for financial assistance on the organisation's website. They have until August 11 to submit necessary paperwork and will learn by August 24 if they will receive any funds.
To be eligible, players must have been on a roster before skipping the 2020 campaign, explain the reasons they decided to opt out, have medical considerations connected to the coronavirus pandemic and cannot be receiving a salary or financial assistance from any company or organisation.
More than a dozen players chose to skip the season, most citing health or advocacy for social justice reform as the reason.
The WNBA is playing a 22-game regular season schedule exclusively at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, amid the pandemic.
Irving is not with the Nets as they prepare to resume the NBA season in their own bubble at the Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando as he recovers from shoulder surgery.
Injuries limited the six-time All-Star to just 20 games in his first season in Brooklyn.
