Jayson Tatum will match up to $250,000 in donations to Greater Boston Food Bank amid coronavirus outbreak

Jayson Tatum. Andy Lyons/Getty Images

April 7, 2020

2 minutes to read

Celtics forward Jayson Tatum on Monday pledged to match up to $250,000 in donations to the Greater Boston Food Bank as families grapple with economic uncertainty during the COVID-19 crisis. Tatum and Wizards star Bradley Beal, a fellow St. Louis native, have also pledged to team up to match another $250,000 for the St. Louis Area Foodbank.

“Just trying to find a way that I could be of some assistance during this time,” Tatum said. “Always trying to find a way to give back.”

With the NBA season postponed indefinitely, Tatum has mostly been waiting for clarity, just like everyone else. He said he does not have a basketball hoop at his home, so he has been staying in shape by jumping rope, lifting weights, and riding his Peloton bike.

“It’s not as lavish as the practice facility, but you make do with what you’ve got and make the most out of it,” he said, adding later, “Maybe I’ll get like a hoop that I could put on the outside of a garage or something.”

On Sunday, Tatum watched the rebroadcast of the Lakers’ 83-79 win over the Celtics in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals. Tatum, a lifelong Kobe Bryant fan, was just 12 years old when he watched that game live. He remembers hoping Bryant would avenge the Lakers’ 2008 Finals loss to the Celtics, and he was glad when they did.

“I forgot how low scoring of a game it was, how every possession was tough, and guys looked like they were exhausted,” Tatum said. “I just kind of look at it differently now with my understanding that NBA basketball is different.”

Tatum, who was named an All-Star this season for the first time, is hopeful that the NBA will return soon, and that he will have a chance to make a push toward his first Finals appearance. But he understands that there is good reason to be tentative.

“I mean, it’s tough,” he said. “Everybody wants to be playing. But everybody understands that there’s more important things going on right now. So whatever happens with the season, I’m sure they’ll make the right decision and what’s in the best interest of making sure that everybody’s safe and healthy first. Just figuring this thing out first is more important, and everything else will take care of itself.”

For now, he will keep trying to make a difference in other ways, such as the donations to local food banks.

“Just as professional athletes, us using our platform, using our voice to speak out,” he said. “We can reach so many people around the world through social media and things like that. Just sending out a positive message and encouraging everybody to do their part and being able to get through this together is I think the role that we have.”