Kings’ Harrison Barnes wins Oscar Robertson Award for on-court, community excellence
.jpg "Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes, middle, is congratulated by teammates after his game-winning 3-point basket in the team’s NBA basketball game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Sacramento, Calif., Saturday, March 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)")
Kings forward Harrison Barnes has been selected as the winner of the team’s annual Oscar Robertson Triple-Double Award.
Barnes will be presented with the award before Sunday’s game against the Utah Jazz at Golden 1 Center. The award, named after Kings great Oscar Robertson, is given each year to a Kings player who exemplifies excellence on the court and in the community.
“I am truly honored and humbled to be named this year’s recipient of the Oscar Robertson Triple-Double Award,” Barnes said in a news release. “As a professional athlete, I remain committed to using my platform to amplify the voices of underrepresented communities to encourage and support their dreams. I will continuously do impactful work alongside my wife and family to create lasting change.”
On Mother’s Day, Barnes announced on Twitter that he and his wife, Brittany, are expecting their first child.
“Special Happy Mother’s Day to my wife and soon to be mom,” Barnes wrote. “You are going to be such a great example for our daughter and the best mother that she could ask (for)! I didn’t have a father in the home growing up but I promise to give our babygirl everything that I have.”
The Oscar Robertson Triple-Double Award is presented annually to the Kings player who best exemplifies winning characteristics, both as an athlete and as a conscientious citizen. Robertson spent 10 seasons with the Cincinnati Royals, who later became the Kansas City Kings before relocating to Sacramento in 1985. Robertson held the NBA record with 181 career triple-doubles until Monday night, when he was surpassed by Washington Wizards star Russell Westbrook.
Past winners of the Oscar Robertson Triple-Double Award include Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, Peja Stojakovic, Corliss Williamson, Garrett Temple and De’Aaron Fox.
Barnes has been active in the Sacramento community since coming to the Kings in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks in February 2019. He has advocated for voter rights, addressing systemic racism and investing in Black youth while giving generously to support numerous projects and in initiatives.
Last year, Barnes and his wife donated $40,000 to fund weekly groceries for vulnerable families and senior citizens for four months, and to provide Dutch Bros coffee and pastries to physicians and staff working on the front lines in the Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center’s Intensive Care Unit.
In December, Barnes surprised 75 shoppers with a $250 shopping spree at the Bel Air grocery store in South Natomas. They also surprised three preselected families associated with Next Move, Sierra Health Foundation and the Boys & Girls Club of Sacramento with free groceries for a year.
In February, Barnes announced his partnership with Goalsetter, a Black-owned finance app, to open savings accounts for 500 children from Build.Black in Sacramento and TL Marsalis Elementary School in Dallas.
In March, Barnes announced he would contribute $30,000 to house the homeless in Dallas, helping about two dozen people find permanent housing. In June, Barnes donated nearly $200,000 to Ames High School, his alma mater, for gym renovations, including a video board, updated scoreboard and floor-mounted NBA baskets.
Barnes, a member of the inaugural NBA Foundation Board of Directors, has been outspoken on issues relating to social justice and racial inequality. At the start of the season, he paid for the funeral of Atatiana Jefferson, a Black woman who was fatally shot by police inside her home in Fort Worth, Texas. Barnes also spoke at a Black Lives Matter rally in Sacramento following the death of George Floyd, who was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer.
