BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Kentucky senior guard Jonny David was named to the Southeastern Conference’s Men’s Basketball Community Service team on Monday. David is UK’s representative on the 14-man team that honors players’ exemplary service to their communities.
This marks the 21st year for the SEC Community Service Team for men’s basketball. All 21 league-sponsored sports have had a Community Service Team since 2004. The team honors student-athletes beyond the field for their on-going efforts in the community.
David is a three-time member of the All-SEC Academic Honor Roll. He has appeared on the Dean’s List in three semesters at Kentucky and made the National Association of Basketball Coaches Honors Court in 2017-18. During his senior season, he has served as a member of the Student Athletic Advisory Council and was inducted into Kentucky’s Frank G. Ham Society of Character in February.
The Pittsburgh native has been a mainstay in the community since his arrival on campus in 2015. He has spent countless hours serving in any capacity he can.
As a member of SAAC, he played a key role to organize fan participation in the Polar Plunge, a fundraiser of the Special Olympics of Kentucky. He also arranged a meet and greet for more than 60 Special Olympics athletes and the UK men’s basketball team following a February home game. He’s an annual participant in the UK Back Pack Program with God’s Pantry to help pack and distribute lunches to students across the city. During God’s Pantry delivery over the years, he has played kickball and other activities with students.
Each holiday season, he’s delivered gifts, served dinner and sang Christmas carols to families in the Lexington community. He’s also served Thanksgiving lunch at the Salvation Army during every year of his career.
In September of 2017, he and his teammates helped raise more than $1 million along with Red Cross in a Hurricane Harvey telethon. Last summer, as a part of a Samaritan’s Feet initiative with the team, he washed feet and delivered shoes and socks to Bahamian children during UK’s Big Blue Bahamas trip.
The Wildcats have won more than 100 games with David on the roster, including two SEC regular-season and three tournament titles. He’s appeared in 32 games in his career and scored a career-high five points in a win over Texas A&M during his sophomore season.
David is slated to graduate in May with a degree in kinesiology. He will begin graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh in the fall to pursue a master’s degree in physical therapy.
Kentucky will open play in the SEC Tournament on Friday at 7 p.m. ET as the No. 2 seed in the tournament. UK will play the winner of Ole Miss and Alabama.
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s basketball team, follow @KentuckyMBB on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and on the web at UKathletics.com.
