THE Ayton Family Foundation, founded by Bahamian National Basketball Association (NBA) player Deandre Ayton, held a fundraiser to support the Bahamas’ national basketball team and youth basketball development initiatives.

The event was hosted by ESPN’s Kendra Andrews at The Ritz-Carlton in Portland and brought together NBA stars from the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors, national team representatives, and community supporters for an inspiring and impactful evening.

The event raised $75,000 to support the Bahamas senior men’s national team’s journey to qualify for the 2027 FIBA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics, along with youth (boys and girls) basketball initiatives and coaching development in The Bahamas.

The Ayton Family Foundation’s broader mission includes nourishing minds and bodies through culturally relevant programmes in Portland, The Bahamas and Jamaica. 

Along with Ayton,  the NBA centre for the Trail Blazers, and co-captain for The Bahamas’ national team, also in attendance were Grand Bahamian Chavano “Buddy” Hield, NBA guard with the Golden State Warriors and co-captain of The Bahamas’ national team, Chris DeMarco, the assistant coach of the Warriors and head coach of The Bahamas’ national team LJ Rose, a scout for the Houston Rockets and general manager of the Bahamas national team and Andrea Ayton, the co-founder of the Ayton Family Foundation, and Deandre’s mother.

During the show, there was a question and answer period, spotlighting Bahamas basketball’s growth and global aspirations, featuring Ayton, Hield, Rose and DeMarco.

And there was a live auction featuring one-of-a-kind experiences and memorabilia, including Trail Blazers and Warriors game-day VIP packages, a cooking experience with Andrea Ayton, a Baha Mar resort getaway and a signed Kobe Bryant jersey.