Earl Monroe spent the first four years of his career with the Baltimore Bullets, but he's best remembered for his contributions to the New York Knicks. Julius Randle spent the first four years of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers... and it's becoming increasingly clear that he, like Monroe, is a New York Knick through and through.
Now, the two are linked in a way that both involves basketball and transcends the game in a much more impactful sense.
Connecting with the Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball Charter School, Randle has pledged to donate $500 every time he makes a three-pointer in his new #30 FOR 3! fundraising challenge.
According to the campaign's site on Rally Up, Randle's money will go to support the literacy and math intervention programs at the school.
"Thanks to Julius’s gift and leadership, the school will now have the resources to have five full-time specific literacy interventionists and at least 30 math tutors," Monroe explained. "He is a remarkable young man and a brother Knick. We’re hoping friends and supporters, young and old, will do their part and match #30 FOR 3! as they can. If we don’t do everything possible to improve the literacy skills of our youth, the cycle of poverty and disappointment will never end."
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The site further explains that "intensive, one-on-one or one-on-two, hourly sessions" will take place between the interventionists and students without disrupting the students' existing workloads and daily schedules. The school was opened as "the nation's first high school entire designed around basketball," and this new fundraiser shows the strong link between the game and the future of our youth.
Fans have the option to join in on the pledge, donating whatever amount they choose every time Randle hits a three. Watching Knicks basketball, rooting for Randle and changing the world for the better every time he knocks down a long ball? Doesn't get much better than that.
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"I love and admire Earl as a Hall of Fame basketball player, but also as someone who gives back to the City of New York," Randle said (via Shlomo Sprung of Boardroom). "When I heard about his efforts with the school, I wanted to find a way to support him and these students. As a father, I am highly aware of the value of education and of learning teamwork and skills through sport."
On the year, Randle is making 2.2 three-pointers per game, meaning a donation of $1,100 every time he takes the floor for the Knicks at his current rate. However, if he has more games like his Monday showing against the 76ers (5-10 from deep), that money could flow in at an even higher rate — not to mention some more tallies in the win column for the Knicks.
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