NBA players, legends help unveil upgrades to local YMCA

The NBA helped spruce up a Las Vegas community center, looking to leave a greater impression on the area outside of three basketball games held in Southern Nevada for the league’s annual in-season tournament.

The newly renovated multipurpose room, fitness and training studio at the Bill and Lillie Heinrich YMCA were unveiled during a Monday ribbon-cutting ceremony, featuring players and mascots from NBA Cup final teams, the Milwaukee Bucks and Oklahoma Thunder, former NBA players Joakim Noah and Deron Williams and NBA executives, including deputy commissioner Mark Tatum.

The updated areas received updated paint and graphics, flooring, new furniture, seating and updated technology and equipment. The initiative was carried out in conjunction with the YMCA of Southern Nevada and Heart of America.

Having the trio of spaces within the YMCA upgraded is only part of the story. What those upgrades will mean to those who use the facility going forward is the real focus of the work.

“It’s going to allow us to impact thousands of lives over time in a much more meaningful way,” said Jordan Sommaggio, president and CEO of the YMCA of Southern Nevada. “Spaces are what contain this impact. But when spaces deteriorate with aging buildings, it’s difficult for us to have the impact we want on the community. By sprucing up these spaces… it allows us to really dive in and do some new things with the kids that we didn’t have the ability to do before.”

The NBA looks to carry out similar legacy community projects in cities where they have teams or host major events in, such as the culmination of the NBA Cup, with the semifinals occurring last weekend and the championship game scheduled for Tuesday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“Everywhere we go we try to make sure that we’re engaged in the community,” said Kathy Behrens, president of NBA social responsibility and player programs “Leaving a legacy project like this as part of the NBA Emirates Cup is important to us… Both teams, both organizations came out to this event to spend a little time with the kids. It’s really meaningful for us and we know it’s meaningful for them.”

More than 100 children were on hand at the ceremony. They also took part in an NBA-hosted basketball clinic during which six NBA players interacted with the youth.

Despite Tuesday being a practice day ahead of the NBA Cup championship game, Bucks shooting guard AJ Green said was happy to take part in the event, hoping to leave a positive impression on the children in attendance.

“You’ve got to give back,” Green said Monday. “When I was a kid there were people doing this for me. My dad’s a coach and I always grew up around his teams, so I was always in the gym with them. The attention that they would show me and would rebound for me after their practice. So, to be out here and to pour into these kids, maybe inspire these kids, I think I enjoy it as much as them.”

Sommaggio noted how much it means to have organizations such as NBA Cares step up for nonprofits such as YMCA of Southern Nevada. Efforts to achieve such upgrades to the YMCA facilities would have been tough to carry out without aid from programs like NBA Cares.

“Nearly impossible,” Sommaggio said. “Capital improvements require money and as a nonprofit… we are reliant on organizations in the community to step up to help us.”

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.