It’s easy to overlook the most important words Anthony Davis says.

You’ve heard him talk about how he’s adjusting to the playoff schedule. That he believes the Pelicans can beat the Golden State Warriors. But those are quotes which only affect the game.

But in his nomination for the NBA Cares Community Assist Award, Anthony Davis has far more impactful words. “Giving back means a lot to me,” Davis said. “I try to do the best I can to give back to the city and show my appreciation and to win the NBA Community Assist Award monthly award has been a great honor and a blessing. I just try to use everything that I have to give back to the City of New Orleans. I just love hosting the events for the kids and seeing the smiles on their faces and see them happy.”

I’ve talked a lot about the word “community” this season. About the coming together of Pelicans fans to enjoy a shared passion. In the midst of this playoff run, and seeing the city clad in Pelicans’s Blue and Red, it’s not hard to see that sports mean something more in New Orleans. It’s been 9 years since Katrina. 5 years since the BP oil spill. Tragic shootings happen nearly every other night. Despite the city’s massive resilience it’s nice to get a pick-me-up every now and then. Anthony Davis is doing just that for the youth of New Orleans

“It’s huge the stuff he does in the community,” Pelicans head coach Monty Williams said. “This city is in great need of assistance…He’s part of the solution here. It’s huge and something he really wants.”

This season Davis felt he needed to ramp up his charity work even more so, creating AD’s Flight Academy. Davis’s initiatives are the reason you’ve read about him hosting Thanksgiving dinner at the Salvation Army. Taking 75 local, underprivileged kids on a shopping spree at Toys “R” Us. Davis has taken 100 students from the Westbank YMCA bowling. Played laser tag with 150 students from the Jefferson Parish Parks and Recreation. Davis hosted an advanced screening of The Divergent Series: Insurgent for 150 students from Juma Covenant House and Boys Hope Girls Hope. And most recently he spent a night playing basketball and eating pizza with 130 kids at Back 2 Basics in New Orleans. Davis also has given back this season through the Player Ticket Program by spending $30,000 to send over 3,700 underprivileged local children to a Pelicans game. And that’s not even counting all the team events Davis has participated in. You can read the full rundown in the Pelicans official announcement.

That is a lot of lives touched by Anthony Davis in just this year alone.

Often a player’s impact and legacy is only felt on the court. Anthony Davis may only be in his third season but he is building something deeper in the Crescent City. And most importantly this is something that will last. Chris Paul has been gone for 4 seasons now and he still regularly travels down to New Orleans to work with the charities he established.

The NBA Cares Community Assist Award really matters to Anthony Davis so please help him win after finishing runner-up last season. 50% of the decision is based on fan voting. It ends on the 27^th but all you need to do is use the hashtags #NBACommunityAssist and #AnthonyDavis on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Put both hashtags in and tweet it out. Retweet any votes you see for Davis. As Davis told us earlier in the season, “Let ’em have it!”

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