SDSU basketball assisting on and off court: Players donate to Feeding San Diego

Feeding San Diego and San Diego State basketball are two iconic elements in the San Diego community.

Feeding San Diego fills a need for those facing hunger, providing food and meals to 350,000 people in the county each year. Since its founding in 2007, Feeding San Diego has provided nearly 400 million meals to people in San Diego County.

San Diego State basketball has become one of the nation's best programs and a source of community pride. On Friday, that stepped up a level.

“We've decided as a team, with the Mesa Foundation, to make a donation to creating more opportunities for Feeding San Diego," senior guard Nick Boyd announced Friday after the Aztecs practiced.

Every SDSU basketball player is donating a portion of their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) money to Feeding San Diego. Every player donated a different amount of money, which is one reason the players chose not to disclose the total donation amount, but it’s a lump sum that will change lives locally.

"I go to a lot of charity auctions where people hold up the paddle for the biggest amount of money — yeah, everybody likes that — but any amount of giving makes a difference," SDSU basketball head coach Brian Dutcher said. "What level they gave doesn’t matter. I don’t ask that ... giving is giving. That last paddle up means as much as the first paddle up. These players are giving back their own money to make a difference in their community. As a coach, that means a lot to me.”

A few months ago, the Aztec players volunteered at a food distribution for Hoover High School students, an event that made a huge impact on them.

"It was kind of eye-opening to see the amount of kids that needed groceries and to provide food for their families at such a young age," Boyd said, "and to see how much of an opportunity and blessing Feeding San Diego was in that school.”

"Just to see the amount of people in need inspired us to give more, so that’s what we did," forward Jared Coleman-Jones said

NIL basically pays college athletes for playing, and many have portrayed NIL as something that’s wrong with college sports these days. That’s up for debate, but what can’t be debated is that the Aztecs players donation is a gesture of goodwill and selflessness by a group of men from an age group that is not known for donating money to charity.

"I was so inspired because when I was in college at age 18, donating would be one of the last things I’d think of doing," said Allison Gladder of Feeding San Diego. "Donating money to charity is so inspiring, and it's inspiring to see these kids come together."

Coleman-Jones added, "When they talk about how NIL is bad for basketball, I think they're focusing on the negative connotations, but then you see what the community needs and now you have the means to give back: Why not? I feel like when you have the opportunity and resources to do so, you can give back, and NIL is a means to give back”

These SDSU player donations come at a time of great need for Feeding San Diego.

“Local military families are really needing help right now, seniors, you name it — every single food distribution group of community members has a great need during the holidays, so we have a lot of need right now," Gladder said.

In basketball, giving usually comes in the form of an assist, but SDSU basketball is assisting in a way that transcends the game.