Kevin Love Donates $100,000 to Cavaliers Arena Staff After NBA Suspension Due to Coronavirus

"We can all add more empathy into our daly lives," Love wrote on Instagram

Kevin Love is lending a helping hand to workers at the Cavaliers Ohio arena.

On Thursday, the Cavaliers star, 31, revealed he is donating $100,000 through his foundation to support the staff at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, the Cleveland, Ohio arena where his team plays.

His generous financial contribution comes just a day after the NBA suspended the remainder of their season amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. And the fear and anxiety resulting from the recent outbreak of COVID-19 can be extremely overwhelming,” Love captioned a photo of himself with the arena workers. “Through the game of basketball, we’ve been able to address major issues and stand together as a progressive league that cares about the players, the fans, and the communities where we work.”

“I’m concerned about the level of anxiety that everyone is feeling and that is why I’m committing $100,000 through the @KevinLoveFund in support of the @Cavs arena and support staff that had a sudden life shift due to the suspension of the NBA season,” he wrote. “I hope that during this time of crisis, others will join me in supporting our communities.”

The NBA star ended his message by asking fans to take care of themselves and others in need.

“Pandemics are not just a medical phenomenon. They affect individuals and society on so many levels, with stigma and xenophobia being just two aspects of the impact of a pandemic outbreak. It’s important to know that those with a mental illness may be vulnerable to the effects of widespread panic and threat,” Love said.

“Be kind to one another. Be understanding of their fears, regardless if you don’t feel the same. Be safe and make informed decisions during this time. And I encourage everyone to take care of themselves and to reach out to others in need — whether that means supporting your local charities that are canceling events, or checking in on your colleagues and family,” he concluded.

The star added on his Instagram Story: “We can all add more empathy into our daily lives.”

Love’s message was met with a sea of support from fans as well as his Cavaliers teammate, who had announced earlier in the day that they would be compensating all of their hourly employees and event staff team members at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse “as if every game and every event is still taking place.”

“Thank you, Kevin Love,” they wrote on Instagram. “Coming through in the clutch.”

Other stars sent Love support on social media, including sports journalist and broadcaster Taylor Rooks.

“Kevin Love is everything that’s good about the NBA. He’s everything that’s good about people. He shows it time and time again,” she wrote on Twitter and Instagram. “This pandemic is and has been rough on all of us. But it’s gestures like Kevin’s that give us all some peace.”

“Be kind to one another,” she added. “This will pass.”

Michael Hickey/Getty Images

The Cavaliers still had 17 games left to be played in the regular season before the NBA announced its decision to suspend the remainder of the season on Wednesday after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for coronavirus.

In a statement shared on Twitter, the NBA said, “The NBA announced that a player on the Utah Jazz has preliminarily tested positive for COVID-19. The test was reported shortly prior to the tip-off of tonight’s game between the Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena.”

“The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of tonight’s schedule of games until further notice. The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic,” the statement concluded.

As of March 12, there have been at least 1,654 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 41 deaths in the United States, according to The New York Times.

The majority of U.S. cases are in Washington state, California and New York, and all three have declared a state of emergency to redirect funding.

Other major sports leagues have also cancelled their events in lieu of the virus, including the NCAA, the NHL, the PGA, U.S. Soccer and the MLB (among others).