Azurá Stevens Wins WNBA Cares Community Assist Award for Youth Outreach Efforts

Azurá Stevens Wins WNBA Cares Community Assist Award for Youth Outreach Efforts

November 15, 2024 Catherine Williams - Chief Editor Sports

Azurá Stevens Wins WNBA Cares Community Assist Award

NEW YORK, Nov. 15, 2024 – The WNBA announced that Los Angeles Sparks forward-center Azurá Stevens has received the Seasonlong WNBA Cares Community Assist Award. This award recognizes her dedication to supporting youth in Los Angeles County and nearby areas.

During the 2024 WNBA season, Stevens engaged with over 2,000 children through various community events. She contributed to a shoe drive, held basketball clinics, and made multiple visits to a local hospital. Stevens also participated in youth outreach programs with her team’s Jr. Sparks initiative.

“Community outreach is vital because a strong community shapes who we are,” Stevens said. “I am grateful for the support of the Los Angeles community and look forward to giving back. It’s an honor to inspire and impact the next generation as my community did for me.”

Highlights of Stevens’ Community Efforts:

  • Air West Skills Clinic: On May 8, Stevens taught basketball drills and answered questions from youth.

  • Shoes That Fit Community Shoe Drive: On May 22, she helped distribute 900 new shoes to students at South Park Elementary School in South Central Los Angeles.

  • UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital Visit: On July 15, Stevens visited patients, engaging with them and their families.

  • Jr. Sparks x Shiekh Impact Event: On August 10, she attended a back-to-school event for over 100 girls in Compton. On September 16, she hosted a clinic focusing on healthy habits.

  • Read to Achieve: On September 20, at South Park Elementary School, Stevens read to students and shared her experiences as a professional athlete.

Stevens completed her seventh season in the WNBA. She averages 9.4 points and 5.0 rebounds per game across 176 games. Selected sixth overall in the 2018 WNBA Draft, Stevens has played for the Dallas Wings, Chicago Sky, and the Los Angeles Sparks.

In recognition of Stevens’ community efforts, the WNBA will donate $20,000 to United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County in North Carolina.