San Antonio Spurs’ Harrison Barnes is among the finalists for the 2026 NBA Social Justice Champion award.
Barnes is joined by Bam Adebayo, Jaylen Brown, Tobias Harris and Larry Nance Jr. as contenders for the honour.
Award Recognises Pursuit of Social Justice
The annual award recognises a current NBA player for pursuing social justice. The winner will receive the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar trophy for advancing Abdul-Jabbar’s life mission. This mission aims to engage, empower and drive equality for individuals and groups who have been historically disadvantaged.
The NBA Social Justice Champion will be announced during the Conference Finals of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. The winner will also receive a $100,000 donation from the NBA for a non-profit organisation of his choosing.
Selection Process and Committee
NBA teams submitted nominees to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion selection committee. The finalists were determined from this pool of nominees.
This year marks the introduction of a new selection committee. This follows five years of service by the award’s previous committee members.
The 2026 committee includes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum, Realize The Dream Co-Founders Martin Luther King III and Arndrea Waters King, GirlTREK Co-Founder and President Vanessa Garrison, National Museum of African American History & Culture Acting Director Shanita Brackett, Civic Nation CEO Kyle Lierman, NBA President of Social Responsibility & Player Programs Kathy Behrens, National Basketball Players Association Foundation (NBPA) Executive Director Erika Swilley and Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Court of Leaders and Class of 2027 high school basketball player Cayden Daughtry Jr.
Adebayo’s Commitment to South Florida and North Carolina
Bam Adebayo has continued to make a lasting impact through his commitment to educational equity, food security and youth development in underserved communities across South Florida and North Carolina. Through the Bam Adebayo Foundation, he led 18 social justice-focused initiatives during the 2025-26 season. He invested more than $563,000 into programs designed to expand access and opportunity for underserved youth and families.
Adebayo provided mattresses, uniforms and school supplies for students at The SEED School of Miami. He also funded transportation for more than 19,000 students to attend the Miami Book Fair. Adebayo hosted experiences designed to expose students to new opportunities and mentorship. He addressed food insecurity through large-scale holiday meal distributions, hosted an annual toy drive serving more than 2,000 children, and continued to support youth development programs including his Bam Basketball Camp and the.
The NBA Social Justice Champion will be announced during the Conference Finals of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.