When commissioner Adam Silver called Bennedict Mathurin’s name as the sixth overall selection in the 2022 NBA Draft, people were surprised to see him open his suit to reveal a photo. It was a picture that spoke a thousand words — a photo of him, his brother, and his sister when they were children.
As Mathurin went on the stage to greet Silver, his mother hugged him, donning a Haitian flag over her shoulders.
The bond between the Mathurin siblings was quite strong. They endured tragedies and sacrifices, but it did not shake their spirits. Together, they took paths nobody thought they could. Mathurin’s ties to his siblings are a prime reason why he’s so motivated heading to the 2025 NBA Finals with the Indiana Pacers.
Who Is Bennedict Mathurin’s Sister, Jennifer
Mathurin’s sister, Jennifer Mathurin, was more than a sibling — she was his foundation. A former Division I player at NC State, she introduced Bennedict to basketball, taught him how to compete, and managed his career off the court.
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So when Bennedict credits Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort, a fellow hooper who grew up in Quebec, as his basketball role model, he still acknowledges that it was Jennifer who set the standard. The two played constantly at Parc Le Carignan in Montreal, going up against older kids and grown men in the neighborhood.
“I’ve always wanted to be better than my sister,” Bennedict said in an interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape.
When Bennedict was drafted, Jennifer left her life in Canada and moved to Indianapolis to support him, according to Spears. She helped him stay focused, handling everything from agents to interviews. She also made sure he grew from criticism rather than being weighed down by it.
“She texts me before every game,” Bennedict said. “Just telling me to go have fun. I always read it.”
“I’m forever grateful,” he added. “She’s helped me have a better future.”
Who Is Bennedict Mathurin’s Brother, Dominique
Every game Bennedict plays carries the memory of his late brother, Dominique Jeune.
On Sept. 30, 2014. Dominique, then 15, was riding his bike in Montreal when he was hit by a car. He died the next day. Bennedict was only 12.
“My brother had got in an accident with a car while he was on his bike, and had passed away,” Bennedict later recalled. “Dominique was only 15. My brother??? Someone who’d always had my back was just GONE.”
But that tragedy didn’t just take from him; it transformed him. It forced Bennedict to grow up quickly, particularly with his dad’s death in 2013.
“Life couldn’t just be about going to the park and going to school anymore,” he said. “With my older brother gone, it was my job to take care of my family. I had to stop being a kid and become a young man.”
Dominique’s influence didn’t disappear with his passing. It grew stronger as Bennedict now carried his brother with him. Tattooed on his arm are the words: “02.12.1999, Dominique Jeune, 09.30.2014,” according to Spears.
On draft night, Bennedict wore a custom red suit with a photo of himself, Dominique, and Jennifer sewn into the lining. It was a silent tribute to a bond that never faded.
He also honors Dominique in other ways — from wearing his name on his sneakers at Arizona to using the hashtag #domixworld in his social posts.
“Everything I do is for my brother,” Bennedict once said.
Dominique’s life was cut short, but through Benedict’s grit and growth, his legacy lives on. Their dream was to reach the NBA together. Now, as Bennedict fights for an NBA title, he does it for both of them—and for the sister who never stopped believing.
