Friends that stay together, championship together! Boston’s NBA Championship win was heartwarming for many reasons, from being a win 16 years in the making, to winning at TD Garden, to Joe Mazulla and Jayson Tatum’s personal record-breaking stats from the championship. But one last detail, about 1,500 miles south, makes this win all the more heartwarming.
Where did Jayson Tatum and Matthew Tkachuk go to school?
The story begins in St. Louis, Missouri, Boston Celtics Jayson Tatum and Florida Panthers Matthew Tkachuk’s old stomping grounds. The two met at Chaminade Prep School for boys grades six through twelve.
They became close childhood friends through their mutual gym class, Tatum revealing to a young Tkachuk his dreams of one day playing in the NBA. Tkachuk, hoped to follow in his father, Keith Tkachuk’s footsteps- the Medford native turned NHL legend. Keith Tkachuk had a brief stint with Boston University before drafting into the NHL, playing for Winnipeg, Phoenix, and eventually St. Louis, to faithfully bring his son, Matthew, and Jayson Tatum together.
The two childhood friends motivated each other to maximize their athleticism. Tkachuk drafted into the NHL in 2016, and Tatum the NBA in 2017, becoming the Boston Celtics player we know and love. This year, both players’ teams celebrated historic record-breaking wins within a week of each other. The Boston Celtics won its 18th NBA Championship, making it the most successful NBA team of all time. The Florida Panthers won their first Stanley Cup Championship of all time, creating a new record for the team.