Garnett donates $1.2M
Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Kevin Garnett is joining the long list of professional athletes who are donating to victims of Hurricane Katrina – in a big, big way.
Garnett is donating $1.2 million to build homes throughout the Gulf Coast region.
“I knew I wanted to do something,” Garnett said after practice Friday. “But I didn’t know in detail what I wanted to do.”
Garnett is teaming with Oprah Winfrey’s Angel Network charity foundation on the project. Garnett said he chose Winfrey’s foundation because 100 percent of his donation will go toward the victims.
“The fact that she pays the overhead of her employees and the foundation itself and just goes out and makes dreams come true … I think it makes it more beneficial,” Garnett said. “It’s a good thing.”
The former Most Valuable Player certainly has the means at his disposal to make an impact.
He has twice signed NBA contracts topping $100 million, in addition to his millions in endorsement deals.
Garnett said he has always been a big fan of giving to charity even dating to his days growing up poor in Mauldin, S.C., but he never dreamed of one day being able to make such a sizable donation.
“I never would have imagined it being on this kind of scale,” Garnett said. “Even back in school, whether it was 10 cents or 20 cents to get an extra milk or an extra tea, that’s just the way I am.
“I’m from the bottom. I understand what it’s like to have and to not have. My perception on giving is to put yourself in those people’s shoes and go from there. So that’s what I did.”
Though he does not have any family members or close friends who were directly affected by the disaster, Garnett said he felt a kinship with the victims.
His donation will build one house a month for the next two years and was featured on Winfrey’s talk show on Thursday.
Garnett did not appear live on the show, but did tape a vignette to surprise Winfrey, who was clearly appreciative of the gift.
On the courts
Jazz 99, Raptors 84: At Toronto, Mehmet Okur had 29 points and 12 rebounds to lead Utah to a victory over winless Toronto.
Pacers 102, Nets 90: At Indianapolis, Ron Artest scored a season-high 30 points leading Indiana to a victory over New Jersey.
Spurs 103, Celtics 82: At Boston, Tim Duncan had 29 points and 12 rebounds and San Antonio pulled away in the third quarter for its 16th consecutive win over Boston.
Cavaliers 89, Grizzlies 70: At Cleveland, LeBron James scored 16 points, Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 14 points and 12 rebounds and Cleveland clamped down on defense in a rout of Memphis.
Mavericks 98, Bobcats 88: At Charlotte, N.C., Dirk Nowitzki shrugged off a back problem with 23 points and 16 rebounds to lead Dallas to a victory over Charlotte.
76ers 85, Lakers 81: At Philadelphia, Allen Iverson outplayed Kobe Bryant in an anticipated matchup of the league’s leading scorers, scoring 34 points and sinking the winner with 22.2 seconds left to lead Philadelphia to a win over Los Angeles.
Kings 101, Nuggets 85: At Sacramento, Calif., Peja Stojakovic scored 23 points to lead struggling Sacramento to a victory over Denver.
Warriors 86, Knicks 84: At Oakland, Calif., the New York Knicks are still 0-for-Larry Brown. Adonal Foyle scored the go-ahead basket with 48.9 seconds left, then grabbed a crucial rebound on the other end, and Golden State survived a frantic final minute to beat Brown’s winless Knicks.
Pistons 84, Trail Blazers 81: At Portland, Chauncey Billups had 21 points and 10 assists to help Detroit beat Portland.
Fast breaks
Golden State coach Mike Montgomery was fined $25,000 by the NBA and Jason Richardson was hit with a $20,000 fine, both for failing to leave the court in a timely manner and for verbal abuse of an official. … Cleveland forward Ira Newble, who has yet to play this season because of a foot injury, will be sidelined for another four to six weeks. Newble has had plantar fasciitis in his right foot since training camp. … Charlotte scoring leader Gerald Wallace is expected to be sidelined at least a week because of a chipped bone in his right wrist.