Luka Doncic’s Suprise for Children’s is a Slam Dunk

October 20, 2021October 20, 2021 Staff Report 0 Comments GIVINGPEOPLE

One Preston Hollow resident (and superior NBA guard) recently brightened up the day for some patients at Children’s Health in Dallas.

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić will take the court on Oct. 21 for the team’s season opener, but he took time recently to surprise patients at Children’s Health in Dallas and Plano with some special gifts.

About 80 patients at the Pauline Allen Gill Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s Health received a pair of Nike Jordan sneakers, a drawstring bag, hoodie, socks, a letter from Dončić and a signed photo from the NBA All Star and two-time All-NBA First Team player.

To protect the health and safety of those patients, he arranged for hospital team members to deliver his gifts.

“I really wish I could have been there to meet and talk to the kids but hopefully this surprise brought a smile to their faces and encourages them to stay strong,” said Dončić. “I just want all the kids and parents to know I’m thinking of them!”

Each delivery also included crayons and a “Luka & Bobi” coloring book, featuring the animated BFF (best friends forever) relationship between Luka and Dallas Mavs center Boban Marjanovic. The “Luka & Bobi” video series that debuted last season also has been shared with Children’s patients.

Ariana Alvarado shows off her new kicks.

Additionally, individual pizzas – with the number 77 written in pepperoni – were given to each patient and their family. (Pizzas were customized to meet each child’s preferences and dietary specifications.) Pizzas also were provided to the nursing and other staff members working the floors and helping with the deliveries. To top it off, dessert included a heart-shaped, “77”-adorned frosted cookie.

“Luka’s generous donation to Children’s Health for the patients at our Pauline Allen Gill Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders was fantastic,” said Brent Christopher, president of Children’s Medical Center Foundation. “These patients at both our Dallas and Plano campuses are fighting hard against their diseases and often have lengthy stays in the hospital. That means missing out on many everyday pleasures of just being a kid. Receiving these items from Luka brought huge smiles to our patients’ faces.”

Children’s Health Child Life team members accept a large delivery of Papa John’s pizzas.

This year has been big for the NBA superstar. In addition to launching the Luka Dončić Foundation devoted to helping children, the Mavericks named him the winner of its 2021 Off-Season Community Spotlight Award. He was also nominated for the NBA Care’s Off-season Community Assist Award – one of the highest off-court honors an NBA player can receive – for his “tremendous work in the community and ability to unite a global audience through the game of basketball.”

Child Life Specialist Bridgette Cassanova shows a patient family that the pepperoni on the Papa John’s pizza is configured to display the number “77” which is Luka Doncic’s jersey number.

This summer Luka’s star shone brightly when he represented his home country, Slovenia, in its historic first appearance at the Summer Olympic Games held this year in Tokyo. After dramatically leading his team to the semifinals, Luka returned to Slovenia to refurbish two basketball courts that he played on growing up in Ljubljana. The beautiful new courts – featuring artwork designed by Luka – include seating and lights, and were part of a partnership with the 2K Foundations (resulting from Luka’s appearance on the cover of the NBA 2K22 video game).

During the historic winter snowstorm in February, Luka made several donations to help Texans get through the tough times. He also supplied Air Jordan 1 shoes and Mavericks swag to healthcare workers who administered vaccinations during the coronavirus pandemic. He’s also developed a reputation for his kindness to children attending the games and his willing participation in team and NBA meet and greets.