NBA news: Australian NBA players, NBPA commit $750,000 for fire relief

Several Australian NBA players have committed $750,000 for relief efforts surrounding the devastating fires in the country.

Due to the catastrophic bushfires occurring Australia right now, several NBA players of Australian nationality have stepped up and partnered with the players association (NBPA) to donate $750,000 towards relief efforts.

According to The Athletic’s David Aldridge, players like Philadelphia 76ers point-forward Ben Simmons and San Antonio Spurs point guard Patty Mills are working with the NBA and NBPA’s foundation to contribute toward “relief and recovery efforts for the fires in Australia.”

The players association released a statement on Tuesday describing the initiative and Australian professional players responsible for contributions.

The @TheNBPA announces that nine Australian players, including Ben Simmons, Patty Mills and Joe Ingles, are partnering with the union’s foundation and the NBA and will contribute $750,000 toward relief & recovery efforts for the fires in Australia: pic.twitter.com/oMLJnnj3F0

— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) January 7, 2020

The full list of the nine Australian NBA athletes includes Simmons, Mills, Aron Baynes, Jonah Bolden, Ryan Broekhoff, Matthew Dellavedova, Dante Exum, Joe Ingles, and Thon Maker.

The outbreak and spread of bushfires affecting the eastern coast of Australia have been hurting the country since last year and since the turn of the year have only worsened along with record-high temperatures across the Oceanian nation. Millions of acres of the environment and wildlife have been burned as a result of the climate catastrophe. The drought in Australia has exacerbated the wildfires and have forced hundreds of thousands of residents to evacuate their homes and seek refuge.

Last week Sixers All-Star point-forward Ben Simmons, 23, shared his feelings on the devastating natural disaster happening in his home country on social media, saying he was “so sad by the loss [Australia] is facing.”

I am working with my family and calling on my Australian NBA brothers and any others that can, to do our part to help in this catastrophic disaster, not just for today but to support communities in their eventual rebuild when the fires have stopped.

Australia is a strong and resilient country and I urge you all to be brave, kind and compassionate to each other through this extremely hard time.

Simmons is joined by his peers in the NBA and the players association in contributing what they have toward relief efforts to help the Aussies recover.