NBA Cares Opens Learn And Play Center In Oklahoma City

Members of the OKC Thunder helped dedicate a new NBA cares learn and play center at OKC's City Rescue Mission.

The NBA is having quite an impact on Oklahoma City and the NBA Cares program extended its influence in the Sooner State with a special dedication on Wednesday.

A handful of OKC Thunder players along with NBA Commissioner David Stern and other league representatives were on hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony dedicating an NBA Cares Learn and Play Center at the City Rescue Mission.

Thunder players Cole Aldrich, Derek Fisher, Lazar Hayward, Royal Ivey, Reggie Jackson and Eric Maynor showed up on their day off to spend time with some of the kids and families the new center directly impacts.

The space features a reading room stocked with new book, a technology lab outfitted with new computers and printers as well as a refurbished common area.

"When you have a place like the City Rescue Mission and what is being done here on a daily basis, it's just a chance it's that one night you get to be in a warm building in a warm bed around people that love and support you and are praying for you--that can make the difference in their life," said Thunder guard Derek Fisher.

The City Rescue Mission is Oklahoma's largest homeless shelter housing 640 beds on site. The mission provided more than 350,000 meals to the hungry and impoverished in Oklahoma.

"We can do things with our hands like we're doing here and we can do things like calling attention to important social issues and we can do things by inspiring others to do it," said David Stern.

The new center is the 710th live, learn or play space created by the NBA family.