NBA stars Deandre Ayton and Buddy Hield are helping raise money to aid their native Bahamas, which was devastated by Hurricane Dorian.
Ayton, the Phoenix Suns center, announced Friday that he and his family are pledging $100,000 toward relief efforts in the archipelago nation of 400,000.
He also asked Suns fans to donate toiletries, diapers, cleaning supplies and canned goods, as well as money, at an event Tuesday.
“My heart goes out to my fellow Bahamians,” Ayton said in a statement on social media.
Hield, the Sacramento Kings guard, has set up a GoFundMe page and has donated $100,000. The Sacramento Kings Foundation, Buddy Hield Foundation, Ranadive Foundation and the Jacobs Family are contributing a collective donation of $105,000 to UNICEF USA. Hield said his goal is to raise $1 million. As of Friday afternoon, he had raised $113,773.
Hield joined Scott Van Pelt on SportsCenter on Thursday night to talk about the effort.
“Seeing footage for what Hurricane Dorian has done to the islands, it left me heartbroken,” Hield said. “The Bahamas is in a really bad place right now. People have gotten sick really bad, and hospitals are being damaged.”
Dorian blasted the Bahamas with 185 mph winds that obliterated homes. According to officials, 30 people have been confirmed dead, and the toll is expected to rise, as thousands are missing. There is still severe flooding on the island, and the search for survivors and victims continues.