“There is much more than the street” – Bennedict Mathurin

Despite the money, the glory and all the benefits of being an NBA player, Bennedict Mathurin has not forgotten where he came from and the obstacles that have paved his way.

This is what emerged from his visit to Henri-Bourassa high school on Tuesday. As part of his role as spokesperson for the third edition of the “Vapoter, c’est pas ta game” campaign, the Indiana Pacers player discussed and trained with around thirty young people from his Boondocks.

“I grew up in Montreal North and I know what it’s like to sometimes have difficult choices to make,” said Mathurin.

“I always try to give back to the youth. In my time, there was no NBA player [qui provenait du quartier]. There is now Chris Boucher, Luguentz Dort and me. We are the voices of Montreal North. Our main goal is to motivate young people to get off the streets and focus on school. There is much more than the street.”

A passing message

It was breathtaking to see the faces of the boys and girls when they received a pass from the sixth player drafted at the last Silver Tour auction. Some even had the chance to receive tips from Mathurin on how to improve their shooting technique, including Mansley Dorneval.

“It’s amazing to get advice from a guy who is playing at the highest level,” exclaimed the 16-year-old.

“His presence here gives me a lot of hope,” he continued. He comes from the same place as me. It’s sometimes hard in our circle. Seeing him succeed makes me want to believe in myself.”

Listening to the player from Henri-Bourassa’s Béliers youth team, we have no choice but to see that Mathurin has achieved his goal. His attitude has a lot to do with it, he who always makes himself available when he is passing through the Quebec metropolis.

“Just because I’m in the NBA doesn’t mean I’m a superstar. You can always come talk to me. The time I have, I want to give it back. I want to sign autographs and take pictures. I think my presence speaks for itself,” said the man who recently attended a Montreal Alliance game.

The importance of surroundings

On several occasions, Mathurin underlined that he would not have been able to make it to the NBA without the influence of those around him, particularly his big sister. Jennifer Mathurin, who is still by his side as a special adviser, “guided him on the right path”.

“She pushed me towards the university rather than the street,” said the 20-year-old man.

“My advice [pour les jeunes] is to go to a group that wants the best for you. It’s the luck I’ve had since I was young. […] It’ll help your future if you quickly realize who really wants to help you out.”

Mathurin also insisted that the NBA isn’t necessarily the goal.

“Until the age of 15, I told myself that I wanted to go to university. My sister is the reason I wanted to go to college. I wanted to do four years, get a degree and come back to work. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

The Quebecer finally ended his studies prematurely to make the jump to the pros, but revealed to be toying with the idea of ​​returning to school when his sports career is over.

“People who say, ‘it’s the NBA or nothing’, I tell them, ‘don’t think about that right now.’ You don’t have to go from A to Z. You have to go through A, B, C and so on. You have to remember where you come from.”

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