NBA player Rashad McCants, who is currently in limbo on what team he'll play for next season, plays hard on the court. But, off the court, he's been caring for his sick mother Brenda, a breast cancer survivor.

The last we heard was that he was given a shot to join the Cleveland Cavs for their first summer league practice, but didn't show, later citing "personal problems."

His mother's illness seemed to be the issue.

Many times he has had to miss out on career opportunities to be by his mother's bedside as she fights breast cancer.

While the former draft lottery pick is definitely an NBA talent, he's also loyal and understands the importance of sacrifice. McCants that as a kid his mother has always sacrificed for him and as an adult, he would like to do the same for her.

That's why his Generation 1 and Shoot For Cure Foundations has a mission to help make a difference in the lives of people affected by breast cancer. It helps by bringing awareness of the disease, educating families among those breast cancer survivors, supporting walk/run events, and most importantly, raising money for research, a cure and the affected families.

McCants says that Shoot For the Cure helps people to realize the importance of early detection and how it saves lives.

When asked how does he deal with his mother's illness, McCants replied, "I take it one day at a time. I'm grateful for everyday that I can talk to my mom or see her. I'm in the gym every day when I'm not with my mother. I'm focused, I'm thankful for my health and I'm a strong believer that God won't give us anything that we can't handle.

"I love my mother so much because she taught me how to smile, how to be thankful, and how to appreciate life. She always taught me that hard work pays off. When I got drafted to the NBA, she told me to be the best player that I could be. Even though she's a strong woman, I realize that breast cancer is a disease that does not discriminate. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among African American women and more likely than all other women to die from the disease."

For more information, Generation1Foundation.org, or ShootForCureFoundation.org.