Top NBA rookie joins charity of NFL champ, a fellow UVa alum

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The NBA’s reigning Rookie of the Year has joined a two-time Super Bowl champion to rally support for clean water, a cause dear to both University of Virginia alumni.

Milwaukee Bucks player Malcolm Brogdon announced Thursday that he’ll be the first NBA ambassador for Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Chris Long’s Waterboys Initiative, which installs deep-borehole wells in east Africa.

A University of Virginia release says Long reached his initial goal of building 32 wells, at $45,000 each, the same week the Eagles won the Super Bowl last month.

At Virginia, Brogdon partnered with a non-profit focused on affordable ceramic water filters in South Africa.

The Hoos’ generosity extends beyond water: Long donated his entire 2017 season salary to charities, and Brogdon had the money budgeted for his Rookie of the Year campaign donated.