INDIANAPOLIS – “La, la, la, la. Wait ’til I get my money right.
“La, la, la la. Then you can’t tell me nothing, right?
“Excuse me, was you saying something?
“Uh-uh, you can’t tell me nothing.”
Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin walked into the locker room late Wednesday night with rapper Kanye West’s 2007 song “Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” playing from his iPhone in his locker. The Oklahoma City Thunder couldn’t tell Mathurin “nothing” on this night as he scored a game-high 27 points off the bench during a 116-107 victory for the Pacers in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. The Pacers lead 2-1 in the best-of-seven championship series and are two wins away from their first NBA title.
After sitting the entire first quarter, Mathurin sparked the Pacers with 9-of-12 made field goals, two made 3-pointers, seven made free throws and four rebounds in 22 minutes.
“That is old Kanye. That is my favorite song,” Mathurin told Andscape. “The title of the song is, ‘Can’t Tell Me Nothing,’ because you really can’t. You can’t tell me nothing, really. Whether it is basketball or whether it’s in life, you know, you really can’t.”
Mathurin hasn’t lacked confidence since being selected sixth overall by the Pacers in the 2022 NBA draft. He always believed he was capable of such moments. As a Pacers rookie, the former University of Arizona star caused a stir by saying he didn’t think any NBA player was better than him and that he wanted future Hall of Famer LeBron James to “show him he’s better.”
To be a strong player off the bench, confidence is a positive trait for being ready for the challenge when called upon. Mathurin’s confidence was on display in the most impactful playoff performance of his career.
“It definitely has not wavered,” Mathurin said about his confidence. “I told my friend that you can’t grow into it. You have to be born with it to a certain extent. With my confidence, I think I can be the best in the world. Growing up, I used to be like, ‘I’m going to be in the NBA.’ I didn’t say, ‘I’m going to work hard to be there’ because being in the NBA comes with working hard.
“The dream for me was a job. That’s a blessing. I pray to God every day because I am able to have both my feet, both my arms and live life.”
On or off the court, Mathurin said he’s appreciative of any moment of joy, basketball or otherwise.
Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
On March 9, 2024, Mathurin was diagnosed with a torn labrum in his right shoulder, requiring season-ending surgery. The Pacers made it to the 2024 Eastern Conference finals but were swept by the Boston Celtics. The injury also caused him to miss playing for the Canadian men’s national basketball team during the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Watching but unable to help was just as painful mentally as physically for the Montreal native, he said.
“Watching was the hardest thing,” Mathurin said. “If I could’ve gone out there with one arm, I would’ve done it. As much as I think about last [season], I appreciate this [season] because we were right back to where we were and further. And we’re like two games away from winning the championship.”
In the midst of these NBA Finals, The Mathurin Family Foundation was announced on June 9 in Montreal. The mission of TMFF is “to empower youth from underserved communities through access to sports, education, and development opportunities.” Mathurin’s sister, Jennifer, is TMFF founder and chair of the board.
TMFF began making impact by hosting 100 youth from underserved communities at the Haiti vs. Canada soccer match in Montreal on June 3. From June 17-20, TMFF is hosting a cross-border basketball camp in Indiana, bringing young athletes from Canada and the United States together for training, mentorship, and cultural exchange.
The foundation is scheduled to host a Women in Sports Summit on Aug. 8-9 in Montreal, showcasing women in sports leadership and advocacy with workshops on financial literacy, mental health, a “Move Your Body” wellness session, basketball clinic, and a conference with panels and networking. Money also is being raised to prove a maximum four scholarships for underserved students through the TMFF Scholarship Fund.
“The Mathurin Family Foundation is the culmination of the values that drive us — integrity, collaboration, equity, empowerment and excellence,” Jennifer Mathurin told Andscape. ”We have the privilege and opportunity to share positive stories about Haitians, shape it in meaningful and authentic way.
“We’re intentional about uplifting our community in Montreal. Had our mom not taken a leap of faith to move to Canada, we wouldn’t be where we are today, and we want to bring a little bit of that faith to others to shift their lives in a positive way.”
So why do the Mathurins want to help the less fortunate?
Bennedict Mathurin recalls a time seven years ago when there wasn’t food to eat “for days” in his family and they had no money. Now that life is blessed for Mathurin, with him having made $29 million in career NBA earnings, he strongly feels the importance of helping the less fortunate.
“My goal is to help the community and be there for them,” Mathurin said. “I know what it is to not have money. I know what it is to not have food on the table. So, as much as I can give back, whether it’s basketball camps or food stamps, anything I can help, that’s the main thing.
“I remember when we didn’t have food for days. I didn’t have money to go to school. Stuff like that. That was really seven years ago when I was 15. That wasn’t a long time ago. My memory is really fresh. No doubt, basketball saved my life. It started with my sister. She was good at basketball and I wanted to be better than my sister. Super grateful for that.”
Along with being Canadian, the Mathurins are also proud of their Haitian descent and want to give back to troubled Haiti.
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Bennedict Mathurin’s parents immigrated to Canada from Haiti. His only visit to the country was when he was 11, but he fell in love with it. On Oct. 17, 2023, Mathurin donated Adidas gear to 300 youth at The Barbancourt Foundation’s community center in Haiti. It happened on Dessalines Day, a national holiday in Haiti celebrating the life of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, who played a pivotal role in the Haitian Revolution that led to independence in 1804.
“I would love to go back. I am a man of the people, especially of my own people,” Mathurin said. “I would love to go back to Haiti and create courts and schools. That is one of my goals for sure.”
Mathurin and the Pacers entered the NBA Finals as underdogs to the Thunder and 2025 NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. But after Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton nailed a game-winning jumper with 0.3 seconds left in Game 1 and his team fought for the victory in Game 3, the Thunder are surprisingly in a hole. The Pacers’ three titles came in the American Basketball Association in 1970, 1972 and 1973. They haven’t won a title since joining the NBA in 1976.
The Pacers will host the Thunder in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday (ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET). Mathurin is focused on two more wins.
“The mentality is win the next game. We need to win both at home,” Mathurin said. “That’s the biggest thing. If we can’t win it in five, the main focus is the next one.”
And if the Pacers win it all for the first time in franchise history, you won’t be able to tell Mathurin “nothing.”
“When I think about Benn’s journey, I’m super proud,” Jennifer Mathurin said. “We did not have it easy growing up. At any time, he could’ve accepted what the universe was presenting him, but every day he got up and worked hard.
“Regardless of the situation, he always believed in himself and continues to push himself. Resiliency is part of our roots and the foundation of the legacy we are building.”