Magic's Wendell Carter Jr. Wins NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award for January

ORLANDO, Fla. – To Wendell Carter Jr., one value has always remained pertinent throughout his years of off-court service since arriving in the NBA because it was instilled in him at an early age.

"I feel like you're not successful until you bring someone else up with you," Carter said during an appearance at Boys 2 Men, an Orlando-based mentorship program, in September.

With that attitude fueling his constant efforts to give back, the NBA recognized the Orlando Magic center as the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award Winner for the month of January.

Carter will receive the David Robinson trophy, which is given to each monthly honoree, and the league will donate $10,000 to A Platform² Foundation. The organization, founded by his family, provides youth and families with educational programs and tool that impact, and elevate, their quality of life.

"It means a lot," Carter said Tuesday of winning the award. "I'm a guy that doesn't really measure what I do for the community through accolades, but it always feels good to know that people are out there noticing what I've been doing here in the Orlando area."

He will be recognized before the Magic host the Cleveland Cavaliers Tuesday evening inside the Kia Center. Magic CEO Alex Martins and president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman will present the award.

Specific give-back efforts he's being recognized for include his Flight 34 Aviation Event to help Orange County Public School students foster a love and interest in aerospace careers in underrepresented youth, his third-annual basketball camp in his hometown of Atlanta, and his participation in several holiday giveaways around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Working in tandem with L3Harris and Microsoft, Carter hosted his Flight 34 Aviation Event at L3Harris Flight School at Orlando Sanford International Airport in August. Students from Evans High School and Oak Ridge High School enjoyed a tour of the airport's facilities, a classroom-style lecture from experienced professionals in the field, and participated in flight-themed games.

Many also went for a 15-minute discovery flight, which provided hands-on experience that helped to create their own understanding and appreciation for the industry.

Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. chats with pilots and students participating in his "Flight 34" event. | Gary Bassing, Orlando Magic

The partnership with Microsoft also saw Evans and Oak Ridge – two schools already supported by Carter's foundation with drones, workstations and other aviation-themed equipment – have five flight simulators donated to their respective schools.

At Carter's third-annual basketball camp, hosted at Whitefield Academy Athletic Center near his Atlanta roots, his foundation hosted more than 100 local youth free of charge for the event. Campers received on-court coaching and instruction from Carter, and this past year's iteration included educational workshops on financial literacy to help campers better understand the importance of financial goals, responsible goals and credit score literacy.

At the conclusion of the camp, each participant left with a $25 start deposit for a bank account in their name.

Surrounding Thanksgiving, Carter and teammate Cole Anthony, the Magic guard who was recognized in October for his efforts as the Community Assist Award Winner, hosted the Block Out Hunger Thanksgiving Celebration Turkey Dinner Distribution event.

Both Carter and Anthony are previous winners of the Rich and Helen DeVos Community Enrichment Award during their tenures with Orlando – an honor that goes to the Magic player who serves the community in an above-and-beyond measure over a year.

Wendell Carter Jr., his mother, and Cole Anthony helps distribute turkeys at the Block Our Hunger Thanksgiving Celebration. | Gary Bassing, Orlando Magic

That November evening, at Rosemont Community Center, Anthony, Carter, Magic volunteers and Florida Blue helped distribute a total of 400 Thanksgiving meals to underserved families in the Central Florida area.

Then, near Christmas, Carter and A Platform² Foundation hosted a holiday party for excelling students in his Flight 34 Aviation program. Twenty students were treated to a dinner party at Debonair Orlando for an evening of celebration for their academic achievements, great food and gifts – including new backpacks, hoodies, iPads and Bluetooth sound collars.

One student, named Paolo, achieved a 5.34 GPA throughout the fall semester. He was presented with a signed jersey from Carter and a new set of JBL headphones for his above-and-beyond efforts that evening.

That's not all Carter has planned, either.

On Saturday, March 22, from 6-9 p.m., Carter is set to host his third-annual TopGolf event. This year's festivities, aside from golf, food, drinks and silent auction items, also includes a Spades for Service tournament. A variety of his Magic teammates are scheduled to attend and participate.

The event will benefit both Carter’s foundation and the VA Center for Development & Civic Engagement STEM programs, which enables the organization to kickstart the innovative initiative designed to empower veterans with valuable skills.

To sponsor or purchase tickets for this year's events, those interested are encouraged to visit www.aplatformsquared.org for more information.

As a fiscally sponsored program of Athletes Charitable, a division of United Charitable, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, A Platform2 Foundation is a charitable program that may receive tax deductible contributions and sponsorships.

The NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award honors Bob Lanier, an NBA League Office executive and NBA Cares Ambassador for more than 30 years. He had an enormous influence on the NBA family and young people globally, traveling the world to teach the values of the game and making a positive impact through his kindness and generosity. The legacy he built will continue to live on through the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award recognition, which honors the next generation of players’ commitment to positively impacting their community throughout the NBA season.

Throughout each NBA season, there is an offseason winner followed by seven monthly award winners. The offseason winner receives the Bob Lanier trophy, and each monthly winner receives the David Robinson trophy. The NBA also makes a donation to the charity or foundation of the player’s choice.

Want more Orlando Magic coverage on Sports Illustrated?

Follow 'Orlando Magic on SI' on Facebook and like our page. Follow Magic beat reporter Mason Williams on Twitter/X @mvsonwilliams. Also, bookmark our homepage so you never miss a story.

Related Stories on the Orlando Magic

Want more Orlando Magic coverage on Sports Illustrated?