New York Knicks rookie RJ Barrett is stepping up in a variety of ways to help medical workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.
With the NBA on hiatus, basketball players have to find ways to keep busy. New York Knicks rookie RJ Barrett is making the best of his time off. He’s donating $250,000 worth of aid in the fight against COVID-19 according to Kirsten Fleming of the New York Post.
That figure includes donations of personal protective equipment to hospitals in New York and shoes to hospital workers in Canada. He’s also contributing $100,000 to the Mississauga food bank in Ontario and $25,000 to the MSG Relief Fund.
“I love playing at Madison Square Garden. I am cool with the security guards. Everyone that works at MSG, they take care of me so much,” Barrett said via the Post. “I thought about all they do for us. They are such amazing people.”
Barrett, 19, is making a huge impact in the different places he calls home. The Canadian-born player has grown fond of New York and Madison Square Garden, but he hasn’t forgot about his roots.
The rookie is just the latest Knick to step up in the fight against coronavirus. Julius Randle, Bobby Portis, and Dennis Smith Jr. have all given back to the community in various ways.
It’s also worth noting that Knicks owner James Dolan, who tested positive for COVID-19 in March, is paying stadium staff through May 3 and he set up a $3.2 million relief fund for workers. The Knicks recently donated $1 million worth of masks and other forms of PPE for area hospitals.
