Jayson Tatum, 2K Make Massive Community Assist in St. Louis

Sam LaFrance | Aug 21, 2024

Aug 18, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Florida Panthers right wing Matthew Tkachuk and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum greet each other after throwing out a ceremonial first pitch prior to a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-USA TODAY Sports / Joe Puetz-USA TODAY Sports

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Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum teamed up with 2K Sports on Tuesday afternoon to give back to his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri.

Tatum and Ronnie Singh (Ronnie2K) held an event at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater St. Louis where they unveiled a revamped basketball gymnasium. The kids sitting in the bleachers were overcome with excitement when JT made a surprise appearance at his old stomping grounds.

Today at the Mathews-Dickey Club in North St. Louis, they brought in kids to celebrate the new court, donated by Jayson Tatum & @NBA2K. And watch this kid’s face as Tatum himself actually shows up to meet the kids: pic.twitter.com/4Glx9MbZRo
— Benjamin Hochman (@hochman) August 20, 2024

Tatum described that the feeling of being able to pull off such a gesture as incredible.

"The first time I ever dunked a ball in a game was on this hoop in seventh or eighth grade," he told "The St. Louis Post-Dispatch." "It's always been important for me to give back. I had this idea -- thoughts and visions -- when I was younger. Didn't necessarily know how it would look, but now that I'm in a position where I can impact the places I grew up playing... I can help make things better."

JT has strived to give back to the community since being drafted by the Celtics in 2017. It was then that he founded the Jayson Tatum Foundation, which aims to "positively impact and inspire children, teens and their families through education, athletics and support, and to encourage them to strive to fulfill their dreams and aspirations."

The NBA Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist is the cover athlete for NBA 2K25, which is set to launch next month. He becomes just the third Celtic-champion to grace the game's cover art, joining Kevin Garnett (NBA 2K9) and Larry Bird (NBA 2K12).

Further Reading

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