The NBA announced Wednesday that Jrue Holiday has named the 2024-25 NBA Social Justice Champion. For the honor, the league will donate $100,000 to the Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Impact Fund.
Holiday was among five finalists (Bam Adebayo, Harrison Barnes, Chris Boucher and CJ McCollum) for the award given for pursuing social justice and advancing Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s life mission to engage, empower and drive equality for individuals and groups who have been historically disadvantaged according to the NBA release.
The JLH Fund has given away over $5.3 million in grants since it was created in 2020. The fund has supported 200 business across the country and recently helped families impacted by wildfires and locally the Bostonn Creator Incubator + Accelerator which supported Boston-based creators from underrepresented communities with grants for their businesses.
“Since entering the league, Jrue Holiday has dedicated himself to helping others in their times of greatest need and pursuing a more just society for all,” said NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum in a statement. “The selflessness that defines his game is even more evident in the work he and his wife Lauren do off the floor to create more opportunities for a generation of youth who might have otherwise been overlooked.”
Holiday also won the 2024-25 NBA Sportsmanship award for the second time last week, becoming the first Celtic player to ever win the award.
