LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Muhammad Ali Center will honor an NBA legend as part of its 11th annual Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards, set to take place Saturday, Nov. 9. 

The center has named 15-time NBA All-Star Shaquille O'Neal its Humanitarian of the Year. Aside from his accomplishments on the court, which include 14 All-NBA team selections, the 19-year NBA veteran has also dedicated much of his life to giving back and sparking change in communities.

O'Neal has raised millions of dollars for his charity, is a national spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and founded the Shaquille O'Neal Foundation in 2019, which helps underserved children achieve their full potential. He is currently an analyst on "Inside the NBA" and has also found success in acting, music, television and gaming.

Other recipients include lawyer and author Bryan Stevenson, iconic songwriter, producer, musician and philanthropist Nile Rodgers and Emmy Award-winning journalist Dawne Gee. 

Stevenson, recipient of the "Lifetime Achievement" award, is the founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, a Montgomery, Alabama-based human rights organization. Under his leadership, he has won major legal challenges eliminating excessive and unfair sentencing, confronting abuse of the incarcerated and aiding children prosecuted as adults.

Rodgers is receiving the center's "Global Citizenship" award. The multiple-time Grammy Award winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee has not only worked with music legends like David Bowie and Madonna but has also built a bridge between music and philanthropy by participating in fundraising efforts such as LIVE AID and the We Are Family Foundation, founded after 9/11. He recently received the 2024 World Economic Forum's Crystal Award for his efforts to make the world more peaceful and inclusive through music and his commitment to fighting systemic racism. 

Gee, an anchor for Louisville's NBC affiliate, is the center's Kentucky Humanitarian of the Year. With a career spanning more than three decades in broadcast journalism and radio, she has advocated for several nonprofits in Kentucky and Southern Indiana. She was recognized with the 2009 Lyman T. Johnson Distinguished Leadership Award, and the Chestnut Street YMCA Black Achiever's Program honored her as the Adult Achiever of the Year in 2019.

The center is also recognizing seven young adults 30 or younger with its Six Core Principles Awards. They honor those doing work in their countries and communities embodying one of Ali's six core principles: confidence, conviction, dedication, giving, respect and spirituality. Here are the recipients:

• Deja Foxx, 23, of the U.S.: After experiencing homelessness at 15, Foxx founded GenZ Girl Gang during her freshman year at Columbia University, which works to redefine sisterhood for a new generation through bridging generational gaps. She is also an advocate for reproductive health and education.
• Sophia Kianni, 22, of Iran: Kianni is the founder and executive director of Climate Cardinals, an international youth-led nonprofit helping make the climate movement more accessible for those who don't speak English.
• Shah Chowdhury and Mohammad Yasir, 28, of Bangladesh: They are the co-founders of Footsteps, which provides safe water and sanitation access, disaster resilience and improved public health services for more than 600,000 people across Bangladesh. 
• Lianna Genovese, 23: In 2019, Genovese founded ImaginAble Solutions, which works to create assistive technology to improve the quality of life for those with disabilities.
• Richa Gupta, 28, of India: She is the CEO and co-founder of Labhya Foundation, a nonprofit that has pioneered the well-being movement in India and works to improve the quality of education and well-being for children.
• Charlot Magayi, 30: She is founder and CEO of Mukuru Clean Stoves. The product helps mothers keep their children safe, save on fuel consumption and reduce household air pollution.

The Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards is the center's largest annual fundraiser. The center said it will hold a public event Nov. 8 to involve the larger Louisville community and introduce them to the 2024 honorees.