Jrue Holiday named finalist for NBA Social Justice Champion Award

Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday has been named a finalist for the NBA’s Social Justice Champion Award.

Holiday is one of five finalists for the award. The recipient will get the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Trophy. It is given to the player who best exemplifies what it means to pursue social justice and who best forwards “Abdul-Jabbar’s life mission to engage, empower and drive equality for individuals and groups who have been historically disadvantaged.”

Holiday has been selected as a finalist due to his efforts with his wife Lauren Holiday to create the Boston Creator Incubator + Accelerator, in partnership with Boston Xchange (Boston Xchange was created by Jaylen Brown). They accomplished that through their foundation, the Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Impact Fund (JLH Fund). The Boston Creator Incubator + Accelerator in partnership with Boston Xchange provides funding up to $100,000 in grants to companies and “entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities.”

He and Lauren’s JLH Fund has also given over $5.3 million in grants and over 400 hours of coaching and support to hundreds of businesses across the United States. Holiday personally pledged the remainder of his salary ($5 million) to start the fund in 2020. Holiday, through his fund, has been involved in many other charitable endeavors for underprivileged communities and communities impacted by tragedy – most recently providing resources to victims of the 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles.

The four other finalists for the 2025 award are: Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat, Harrison Barnes of the San Antonio Spurs, Chris Boucher of the Toronto Raptors, and CJ McCollum of the New Orleans Pelicans. All the finalists have been very impactful in their communities and like Holiday are also very deserving.

The recipient of the 2025 award will be selected and announced during the NBA Playoffs.