On a rare night off the court, Celtics stars traded in their basketball sneakers for bowling shoes as they hit the lanes for a charity fund-raising tournament hosted by Jaylen Brown on Thursday.
The first-ever The BOWL, put on by Brown’s 7UICE Foundation, took over Kings Dining & Entertainment in Back Bay, with proceeds from the festivities going to support the foundation’s work in partnership with the Yawkey Boys & Girls Clubs of Roxbury. The private event was emceed by WEEI’s Meghan Ottolini and featured Boston sports notables competing alongside Boys & Girls Clubs members.
Attendees from the Celtics included president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, head coach Joe Mazzulla, plus players Luka Garza, Anfernee Simons, and Derrick White. Former Red Sox players Lenny DiNardo and Steve Lyons also joined the fun.
“Education is important to me. Sustainability is important to me. The wealth disparity is important to me,” Brown told the Globe during Thursday’s event. “So to have people that are here that want to support that as well — and we can have fun bowling — it’s a beautiful thing.”
During his introduction speech on Thursday night, Brown noted that he’s lived in Boston for a decade, and throughout that time, has remained focused on “trying to use my platform to make a difference in the community.”
“It really takes everyone coming together, collaborating, just finding those spaces to share ideas and innovate and think about what the future of Boston can be,” Brown told the crowd while praising the team behind 7UICE Foundation, which “partners with institutions, organizations and social change leaders to bridge the opportunity gap for youth in traditionally underserved communities,” according to its website.
Brown’s mother, Mechalle, who serves as the foundation’s president, noted during her opening remarks that contributions from the evening’s fund-raiser will also benefit 7UICE Foundation’s upcoming educational fair and the expansion of its Bridge Program — a STEAM-focused youth summer program — across Boston.
“I’m 29. This is my 10th year. So I’ve been here for a third of my life here in Boston,” Jaylen Brown told the Globe. “It is home. So to be able to build with the community, make friends, make family, and all that, and be able to have people grow with you, is pretty spectacular.”
And while Brown has already left quite the legacy on the court — winning a championship, being named NBA Finals MVP, All-Star honors, just to name a few — the Celtics star doesn’t quite know yet what kind of mark he wants to leave outside of basketball. But he knows that helping “impact as many people as” possible in Boston and beyond will always remain a top priority.
“I just want to use my platform and help as many people along the way as I can,” Brown said.
Matt Juul can be reached at matthew.juul@globe.com.
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