With four minutes and 35 seconds left in the third quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 110-97 win over the New York Knicks on Sunday, Luka Doncic — upset over what he deemed a missed call — gestured with his hands to suggest the referees were getting paid for lopsided performance.
The NBA didn’t take too kindly to the implication, announcing Tuesday that Doncic would be fined $50,000 for an “unprofessional gesture.”
Where does that $50,000 go? Thanks in large part to the National Basketball Players Association, Doncic’s check will eventually be put to good use thanks to the “Find and Philanthropic” program, a union initiative that turns players’ fines into matching grants for charitable causes.
Although the program has been in place since 2015, it kicked into high gear in the past two years with the arrival of Erica Swille, executive director of the Coalition Foundation. After nearly two decades of working with NBA teams, Swilley has taken it upon himself to help players use the union’s matching grant program.
“One of the things I’m trying to do in my role is change how players think about philanthropy and their strategy,” Swilley told NBC News. “I want them to realize that they have a unique platform to really give back and help others, and that there are ways for them to go deeper than your traditional turkey giveaway or backpack giveaway.
When an NBA player is fined, for anything from a technical foul, in Doncic’s case, to an inappropriate gesture, the money is split between the league and the union. Because players often face fines, the total fine amount is usually not known until the end of the season.
But whatever the final amount, the NBPA allows players to tap into the fund. Active players can receive up to $25,000 in matching grants for causes of their choosing. Some retired players can receive up to $15,000.
And with Swilly’s involvement, those reasons are more specific.
For example, in December, four Washington Wizards players partnered with the Greater Washington Urban League to provide $75,000 in rent-debt relief to 12 families, with matching program money going not only toward families’ rent but also into investment accounts.
“I appreciate knowing that the players are using their good money for good, and not just for good, but really on their behalf,” Swilly said. “And I said it stings a little less when a player gets that fine.”
One of the players who benefited from the program was Chicago Bulls guard Collin Sexton. Sexton, a Georgia native, is involved with several charities based in the Atlanta area: the Ensoro Foundation, which helps youth aging out of foster homes, and the Mighty Milli Foundation, which provides resources in the fight against childhood cancer.
Sexton used matching grants to donate to both foundations after learning about the program through players’ association meetings. He told NBC News that the players were happy to know how exactly their fines were being applied.
Sexton acknowledges the charitable component, making the pay cut a little more palatable.
“Especially, technical fouls with referees or little fights here and there,” Sexton said. “It’s like, ‘You know what? It’s going to a good cause, and it’s definitely going to go somewhere that can use it.’
For a player like Sexton, who came into the league with the goal of giving back, the union’s philanthropic effort is especially meaningful.
“One thing growing up was, ‘If I ever make it, I’ll give back to my community,'” Sexton said. “I feel like sometimes we think, ‘I want to receive this, I want to receive that,’ but you get so much joy out of giving.” And once I was told about the NBPA match, I said, ‘I already want to do this for my community. I want to give back already.’ And it was a no-brainer.
He added: “Leadership in a community is not about who’s on top. It’s more about feeling less alone because you’re a part of something bigger than yourself. It creates gratitude when you know you’re helping others.”
So the next time you see Sexton, Doncic or any other NBA player using profanity at a referee or a little extra oomph during a heated argument, you may be witnessing the beginning of a good deed.
