EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Los Angeles Lakers forwards Lamar Odom and Ron Artest were friends growing up in Queens, N.Y., as children and both are now recipients of two of the NBA's coveted annual awards.
Artest was named the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award winner on Tuesday, exactly one week after Odom was named the league's Sixth Man of the Year winner.
The citizenship award is presented annually by the Professional Basketball Writers Association and is named for the second commissioner of the league. It honors an NBA player or coach for outstanding service and dedication to the community.
Artest is being recognized for his work in raising awareness for mental health issues which included him raffling off his 2010 championship ring to amass more than $650,000 that was distributed to various mental health charities.
Artest is also a member of the Mental Health in Schools Act Task Force, working with congresswoman Grace Napolitano (Calif.) to generate government support for the cause.
The award was voted on by the approximate 150 writers in the PBWA and will be presented to Artest on Tuesday night prior to Game 5 of the Lakers' first-round series against the New Orleans Hornets.
Members nominate players and coaches and vote for the award. The finalists for the award this season were Artest, Marcus Camby of the Portland Trail Blazers, Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic and Kyle Korver of the Chicago Bulls.
The J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award has been handed out annually since the 1974-75 NBA season and is named after Kennedy, the league's commissioner from 1963-75. Sacramento Kings center Samuel Dalembert received the award last season to recognize his efforts to provide relief to victims of the devastating earthquake in his native Haiti.
Artest joins Magic Johnson (1992) and Michael Cooper (1986) as the only Lakers to win the award.
<cite class="source">By Dave McMenamin
ESPNLosAngeles.com</cite>
Artest was named the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award winner on Tuesday, exactly one week after Odom was named the league's Sixth Man of the Year winner.
The citizenship award is presented annually by the Professional Basketball Writers Association and is named for the second commissioner of the league. It honors an NBA player or coach for outstanding service and dedication to the community.
Artest is being recognized for his work in raising awareness for mental health issues which included him raffling off his 2010 championship ring to amass more than $650,000 that was distributed to various mental health charities.
Artest is also a member of the Mental Health in Schools Act Task Force, working with congresswoman Grace Napolitano (Calif.) to generate government support for the cause.
The award was voted on by the approximate 150 writers in the PBWA and will be presented to Artest on Tuesday night prior to Game 5 of the Lakers' first-round series against the New Orleans Hornets.
Members nominate players and coaches and vote for the award. The finalists for the award this season were Artest, Marcus Camby of the Portland Trail Blazers, Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic and Kyle Korver of the Chicago Bulls.
The J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award has been handed out annually since the 1974-75 NBA season and is named after Kennedy, the league's commissioner from 1963-75. Sacramento Kings center Samuel Dalembert received the award last season to recognize his efforts to provide relief to victims of the devastating earthquake in his native Haiti.
Artest joins Magic Johnson (1992) and Michael Cooper (1986) as the only Lakers to win the award.
<cite class="source">By Dave McMenamin
ESPNLosAngeles.com</cite>
