In less than 12 hours after the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the San Antonio Spurs to become the West Division champions, a team from the National Basketball Association in New York was on its way to Oklahoma City.

Their mission: to spruce up the City Rescue Mission, a homeless shelter, the largest in Oklahoma and to open a new NBA Cares Learn and Play Center.

One of the members of the team that went west was Tampa native, Erjaam Hayes, Coordinator of Community Relations, NBA. He was joined by another colleague, the NBA’s Senior Vice President of Community Relations, and Executive Vice President. Social Responsibility and Player Programs were also involved in the project.

“Once we landed in Oklahoma City, it was all hands on deck. We had less than a week to complete the renovation project and ready it in time to showcase for the press conference.”

The ribbon-cutting ceremony with NBA Commissioner David Stern, Thunder players, City Rescue Mission representatives and other volunteers.

The NBA opened a similar space in Miami this past Monday at the Miami Springs Community Center.

Although in their first Finals appearance and their first time involved in this event, Hayes said, “working with a staff like the Thunder made completing the project a lot easier.”

He added that the look on the faces of those who reap the benefits from this project, makes all feel inspired.

The day after Game 1 of the NBA Finals in Oklahoma, a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the NBA Learn and Play Center was held to officially open the new space, with NBA Commissioner David Stern, Thunder players and others participating.

One announcement said that “the new center will give the many homeless children who stay at the center a place to go for tutoring, unwinding and catching up on their school work.” The learning center is complete with new computers and new books.

The event was successful with the help of several volunteers from the Thunder and City Rescue Mission.

Hayes has been with the NBA since he graduated in 2007 from FAMU School of Business and Industry with a Bachelor of Science, Business Administration and Master’s in Business Administration.

In his role in the Community Relations Department, Erjaam travels around the country and works on projects with the NBA,  NBA D-League WNBA.

Hayes is the son of James and Gwen Hayes.