NBA players will show Indiana high school basketball stars the path to professional and personal success during NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis – Indianapolis Recorder

IU Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy and the Mothers of Professional
Basketball Players, Inc., are hosting an event on Feb. 17 to support athletes in
using their platform to make a difference

INDIANAPOLIS—Esteemed NBA players and parents will share their advice and stories with Indiana’s elite AAU basketball players and their parents during the All-Star 2024 Athlete and Parent Forum Feb. 17 in Indianapolis.

The Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy at the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and Mothers of Professional Basketball Players, Inc. (MPBP, Inc.) are partnering to bring elite high school students and middle school students who are future NCAA D1 and future NBA-bound players together with professional players and their parents for an insightful discussion on building a lasting legacy on and off the court.

A panel of NBA and WNBA players and their parents will discuss their personal experiences, providing insights into the challenges and triumphs of a career in professional basketball. They will offer advice for aspiring athletes and their parents, answer their questions, and help them understand how they can make a meaningful impact in lives and communities through their unique platforms as professional athletes and family members of professional athletes.

Professional athletes and their parents participating on the panel are:

• Andre Iguodala, Acting Executive Director, National Basketball Players Association and former NBA player, and Linda Shanklin, President, MPBP, Inc.
• Gary Harris, Jr., current NBA player, Joy Harris, former WNBA player, and Gary Harris, Sr.
• Al Harrington, former NBA player, and Mona Lawton, former President, MPBP, Inc.
• Eddie Gill, former NBA player, and Kim Davis

“Athletes play an important role in their communities personally as well as professionally. The All-Star 2024 Athlete and Parent Forum is a unique opportunity for young athletes to learn the skills that will help them manage their lives and careers and give back in meaningful, effective ways,” said Una Osili, Ph.D., Dean’s Fellow of the Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy and Associate Dean for Research and International Programs at the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

“Sports and philanthropy are natural allies. Athletes have the potential to raise awareness and drive philanthropic action that can inspire solutions. These conversations will help these young players enhance their philanthropic activities and advocacy skills to work for social change,” Osili added. “We are pleased to partner with Mothers of Professional Basketball Players, Inc., to present this opportunity.”

“As parents of highly successful athletes, we have seen firsthand both the challenges and the opportunities that a career in Division 1 and professional basketball can bring. We are mentors and friends providing resources and services, helping rising stars and their families learn from the experience our children and our families have gained as they learn to navigate life in the NBA and other professional leagues,” said Linda Shanklin, President of Mothers of Professional Basketball Players, Inc.

“Our organization serves those in need, and we strive to serve as positive role models through charity, service, and scholarships. We encourage our children to be role models in their communities and to make a meaningful impact by giving back in a wide variety of ways. It is a pleasure to collaborate with the Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy to help these young players strengthen and hone those skills.”

Mothers of Professional Basketball Players, Inc., supports communities and makes a difference in the lives of those who live where their children live, work and play. The organization impacts lives through charities, volunteer efforts and fundraising, while continuing to build and promote a sisterhood among women who share the common bond of mothers of professional athletes.

The All-Star 2024 Athlete and Parent Forum is sponsored by The Indianapolis Foundation and The Office of The Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Indiana University.