A hockey player in Florida and a basketball player in Boston united by a high school in St. Louis are rooting for each other to win their sports’ respective championships.

Jayson Tatum, the face of the Celtics and Matthew Tkachuk, who occupies a similar role for the Panthers are former classmates at Chaminade College Prep in St. Louis. The school proved to be a gateway to greatness for both. Tatum graduated from the school, while Tkachuk left for the U.S. National Development program.

Both former Eagles were leading teams with 2-0 advantages in their respective league finals and are keeping track of the other.

The Celtics faced the Mavericks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night but the game ended too late for this edition.

Tatum said he watched the Panthers beat the Oilers on Monday night.

“I’m a big Matthew fan. We went to school together. I actually watched him win last night,” Tatum said. “Trying to learn and understand the rules in the game of hockey more and more. I got to watch the game last night. They won. Like I said, I’m extremely happy for him and his family. Hopefully they win it all.”

Tkachuck is similarly keeping track of the Celtics.

“Yeah it’s actually really cool when you think about it,” Tkachuk said. “Everyone from St. Louis, whether they were going to watch or not, with having both of us in, I’d say there’s a lot of people, especially the kids we grew up with and families and people who know us, they’re pulling for both teams. It’s super cool to have that support back home for not only myself, but for the Celtics as well.”

I know I’m watching the games. I watched the game last night. I think it would be unreal for Chaminade and all of St. Louis if we can both win it,” Tkachuk added. “Yeah, I’m definitely cheering for him. Definitely.”

Chaminade is naturally rooting for both.

“The teachers here who had those guys, they chuckle a bit because they see them as just normal, goofy, little ninth graders,” Chaminade athletic director Tom Fernandez said told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

White wants new deal: Derrick White is playing some of the best basketball of his career for the Celtics this season and will likely be handsomely rewarded for it with his next contract. Whether that new deal comes with the Celtics or another team remains to be seen in the summer of 2025, but it sounds like White will give the Celtics the first crack.

White, who turns 30 next month, reportedly is expected to seek a contract extension with the Celtics this summer. This comes as no surprise given the fact that the team and White also talked about an extension last offseason before failing to reach a deal before the regular season began.

Currently, White still has one year left on his deal and is set to make $20.1 million next season in what will be the final year of a four-year contract he initially signed with the Spurs. The Celtics traded for White just one season into that contract back in February 2022.

Masslive.com writer Brian Robb contributed.