Sam Smith is reporting on Bulls.com that Ben Gordon will be one of the finalists for the NBA’s Kennedy Award.

Bulls guard Ben Gordon is one of five finalists for the NBA’s 2009 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship award.

The award is presented annually by the NBA to a player, coach or trainer for outstanding community commitment and service. It is the only official NBA award in its post season selections voted exclusively by the Professional Basketball Writers Association.

“It’s truly an honor to be mentioned as a finalist for such a prestigious award as the Kennedy Citizenship award,” Gordon wrote in an email message. “I am grateful.”

The winner will be announced after the regular season in the rotation of annual NBA awards that leads to the naming of the Most Valuable Player.

The other finalists for the 2008-09 season are Bruce Bowen of the San Antonio Spurs, Devin Harris of the New Jersey Nets, Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic and Dikembe Mutombo of the Houston Rockets, who previously won the award when he was with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2000-01.

Gordon founded the Ben Gordon New Life Foundation, which is a youth self esteem program in New York and Chicago. Gordon has made substantial donations to the Mt. Vernon, N.Y. Boys and Girls Club and Juvenile Diabetes. He hosts Ben Gordon weekend in his Mt. Vernon, N.Y. hometown to raise funds for local athletic programs. Gordon serves as the athlete ambassador for the United Negro College Fund education program and has underwritten the cost of holiday parties for DCFS families in the Chicago area and personally serves meals and presents children with gifts. Gordon also is actively involved in holiday activities for children and seniors in CHA facilities.

Source: Sam Smith at Bulls.com

It would be great to see Ben win this, as he has done so much both in Chicago and back at home. He has never really been recognized for his efforts before. He’s never part of an NBA Cares commercial, or anything of that nature. He does a lot of his charity work under the radar.

The Chicago Bulls and DCFS hosted their annual holiday party for intact families. Watch as Ben Gordon, Cedric Simmons, and Andres Nocioni get in on the festivities.