Jrue Holiday to Use Orlando Game Checks For Social Justice Fund

Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday is planning to use his remaining game checks for the 2019-20 season to launch a "social justice fund," according to ESPN's Andrew Lopez.

Holiday and his wife, Lauren, will create the Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Justice Impact Fund with the game checks, which could total up to $5.3 million. The fund will help aid communities in New Orleans, Indianapolis and the Los Angeles area, per Lopez.

"Honestly when it came down to it, it was me and my wife talking about what we could do to kind of further this movement and progression and being able to help out our community and just being able to help," Holiday told Lopez. "To be able to give away our money to help further this movement and Black-owned businesses that have taken a hit in COVID-19, to us, it felt like the perfect time and opportunity."

Holiday said he considered not joining the Pelicans in Orlando for the NBA restart. But the opportunity to push for social justice ultimately helped Holiday make his decision.

"It's not just about me. It's not just about the money," Holiday said. "For us coming to Orlando and playing these games, giving away this money is what is important and trying to help others. Trying to support others during this hard time. Fortunately enough, we still have a job. We get paid very well to have this job. Me and wife felt like this was very important."

The Pelicans' point guard is in his 11th NBA season and his seventh with New Orleans. Jrue and Lauren Holiday met at UCLA, where Lauren played soccer before a nine-year stint with the United States Women's National Team.