As the Los Angeles Rams prepared for a hard-fought NFL wild card playoff victory over the Carolina Panthers, Pro Bowl running back Kyren Williams helped his hometown through a $25,000 donation to Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis.
St. Louis is blessed to have native sons and daughters who have reached the highest levels of their sports and remain active philanthropically in the communities from which they hail.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee set the stage for future athletes when she returned to St. Louis following her historic Olympic career. She immediately went to work helping youths in East St. Louis, Illinois, her place of birth.
Jayson Tatum and his foundation are helping create housing and educational opportunities for families, and he is among St. Louis’ leading boosters.
Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx and Bradley Beal of the Los Angeles Clippers are sponsors of local AAU basketball teams that excel across the country.
More than 200 free turkeys were donated at Thanksgiving through the generosity of NFL wide receivers Jameson Williams of the Detroit Lions, and Isaiah Williams of the New York Jets.
For the second consecutive year, Williams is the Rams’ nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, the league’s most prestigious honor.
Following the devastating Los Angeles fires last year, Williams helped reopen the Palisades Recreation Center, donated funds to Los Angeles Fire Department firefighters, and spent hours with them. He also helped support the Boys & Girls Club in Pasadena, California, after the Eaton fire.
It’s his mission to use his only off day of the NFL week — Tuesday — to serve the community in some way.
“I want to be in the community. I want to continue to keep inspiring, impacting and creating change amongst young people,” he said after learning of his Walter Payton recognition.
Williams said he is “super proud” of hosting a turkey drive at a Los Angeles-area youth football banquet.
“I was thinking about being there and having all those banquets as a little leaguer and imagining if an NFL player would’ve walked into my banquet and been there. I would’ve been shell-shocked,” he said.
Selected by the Rams in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft, Williams remembers where his career and zeal for community service were launched.
“Being able to make a positive impact on youth means everything to me and I’m honored to be able to help provide opportunities to youth in my hometown of St. Louis.”
I wouldn’t be surprised if Williams makes an offseason appearance at a Boys & Girls Club — and he could have the Super Bowl trophy with him.
The Reid Roundup
The NBA released its second batch of All-Star Game ballots. L.A. Lakers guard Luka Dončić (top vote getter) and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo lead in the respective West and East Conferences….The West’s next four are Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets, Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs. Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards is in sixth place….Rounding out the East’s top five are New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers, Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons, and Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers…Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics, the sixth-leading vote getter in the Eastern Conference, is fed up with some NBA refs. “I’ll take the (expletive) fine. [The referees were] terrible tonight. Every time we play a good team, it’s the same (BS),” he said following a home loss to the Spurs… Gilgeous-Alexander netted 29 points in the Thunder’s win on Sunday over Miami. His streak of 110 games scoring at least 20 points stands at 110, and he is second behind only Wilt Chamberlain’s 126 games…Quiet and it is kept, NBA television ratings are up. The NBA had its most-watched Christmas Day in 15 years, with over 47 million U.S. viewers watching some portion of that day’s five-games….Viewership for national TV games is 89% higher than last year, and merchandise sales, NBA League Pass subscriptions, and time spent watching games, have also increased.