Trae Young helped open an Oklahoma Youth Sports Center with a $4 million gift(Getty Images)
2024, Trae Young helped bring a major sports facility to Norman, Oklahoma, with a $4 million contribution from his family foundation. Young and the Trae Young Family Foundation pledged $100,000 to two organisations supporting college education and food access. The Washington Wizards guard received the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award in October 2026 for his work in both communities. The Young Family Foundation contributed $4 million towards its development. The overall project cost was approximately $42 million, meaning Young’s contribution was part of a much larger funding effort. The Young Family Athletic Center officially opened on February 19, 2024. Located on a 12-acre site in north Norman, the facility covers approximately 122,000 square feet. The main gymnasium has eight basketball courts that can be converted into 12 volleyball courts. The aquatic section includes an eight-lane, 25-yard competition pool and a four-lane recreational pool.
It was the largest donation in the city’s history at the time, according to the City of Norman. In Feb. The Young Family Athletic Center opened with basketball and volleyball courts, swimming pools and sports programmes for local families. Two years later, the NBA guard made another community commitment, this time in Washington, D.C. It was his third time receiving the honour. Young grew up in Norman, Oklahoma, and wanted to support the community where he spent his childhood. His family had to travel to give him access to different sporting opportunities when he was younger. The athletic center was planned to make more facilities available to children and families in the area. The project was part of Norman Forward, a community development initiative backed by local voters. It was designed to accommodate several sports rather than focus only on basketball.
Join conversation Share your thoughts in the comments Be respectful · TOI community guidelines More than 175 children attended the four-hour clinic. The Bob Lanier Community Assist Award is named after the late NBA Hall of Famer, who served as an NBA League Office executive and NBA Cares ambassador for more than 30 years. Young spent time with the children and their families and gave patients signed jerseys.
“My goal is to keep showing up for both communities, to create opportunities for them, and to remind them that somebody is in their corner,” Young said. Young also took part in several community events around his birthday in Washington. He visited students at Thurgood Marshall High School, Friendship Technology Prep and Monument Academy. During these visits, he spoke about mental health, perseverance and dealing with difficult situations. He also made a surprise visit to pediatric patients at MedStar Georgetown Hospital. The three-day programme included a free Pro-Am Day at Oxon Hill High School and the From the Point Youth Skills Clinic at Prince George’s County Community College. Young joined the drills and worked directly with participants alongside coaches from the Jr. Wizards youth basketball programme. These activities formed part of the community work recognised by the NBA. The award recognises players who contribute to their communities during the NBA season and offseason. Young has now received the honour three times. His community work has covered several areas, from helping fund a sports facility in Norman to supporting college access and hunger relief in Washington. The planned Yukon center will also extend his foundation’s work in Oklahoma. The two-year period between the Norman facility’s opening and his latest Washington commitment shows how his community projects have continued alongside his NBA career. Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.
The city developed the project through Norman Forward, while the Young Family Foundation provided its $4 million gift. The opening in 2024 was an important step in Young’s efforts to support youth recreation in his hometown. In July 2026, Young and his foundation announced plans for a second youth sports and recreation center in Yukon. The NBA’s October 2026 announcement stated that the Trae Young Family Foundation had donated more than $4 million towards the development and advancement of recreational and athletic facilities in Oklahoma. It should not be confused with the $4 million contribution towards the Norman center or treated as the total cost of that facility. Following his arrival in Washington, Young and his family foundation committed $100,000 to two local organisations. DC College Access Program (DC CAP) and DC Central Kitchen each received $50,000. The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association announced Young as the offseason winner of the Bob Lanier Community Assist Award on October 19, 2026. The NBA and NBPA Foundation also announced a separate collective donation of $20,000 to DC CAP and DC Central Kitchen. This amount was in addition to the $100,000 commitment made by Young and his foundation.
Because the work I do off the court matters just as much as the work I do on the court, speaking about the recognition, Young said, “Being recognized for this award means so much to me,. The facility also has a sports medicine and human performance section through its partnership with Norman Regional Health System. The Norman center provides facilities for both organised sports and recreational activities. Children can take part in basketball and volleyball programmes, while swimmers have access to the competition and recreational pools. The building also hosts youth leagues, sports camps and tournaments throughout the year. Families can access the facility through memberships and day passes. Its range of activities means children do not have to be interested in basketball to benefit from the project. The centre provides space for several sports and allows local organisations to host competitions and training sessions. The partnership with Norman Regional Health System also brings sports medicine and performance services into the facility. This gives athletes access to services beyond the courts and swimming pools. Young’s contribution helped make the project possible, but the center was a wider community effort involving public funding and other partners. Young’s foundation continued its work in Oklahoma after the Norman facility opened. The proposed facility will follow the Norman model, with convertible basketball and volleyball courts, competition pools and year-round programmes. The project will give another Oklahoma community access to a similar range of sporting facilities. This figure refers to the foundation’s wider work in the state. The Yukon announcement also came as Young began a new chapter with the Washington Wizards. Despite moving to a different city for his NBA career, he continued supporting projects in the state where he grew up. DC CAP works with students attending Washington, D.C., public and public charter high schools. Its programmes help students enrol in college and complete their education. DC Central Kitchen focuses on food access and employment training. It provides school meals and hunger relief programmes while also offering culinary job training. The two organisations work in different areas, but both support people facing challenges in their communities. The award recognised his work in Washington and Oklahoma, including his support for education, food access and youth recreation. He also spoke about his connection to both communities.