Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk has split allegiances in NBA's Eastern Conference Finals

Matthew Tkachuk has starred on the ice, helping lead the Florida Panthers on a remarkable run to the Stanley Cup Final. Tkachuk is also interested in the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals. 

Tkachuk has recently formed a bond with Miami Heat standout Jimmy Butler, but he's also a former high school buddy of Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, splitting his loyalties. Prior to Game 6 between the Heat and Celtics on Saturday, Tkachuk said he wasn't picking one side over the other. 

"My two favorite players are Jimmy Butler - Jimmy Buckets - and Jayson. So I hope they both go off tonight, and it's an exciting game," Tkachuk said via TNT. "But I don't know. Everybody here is pulling for me, so I have to join their side for a little bit. But that would make a lot of people in St. Louis mad, so I have to keep the honest answer going and root for both of them." 

Tkachuk and Tatum attended Chaminade College Preparatory School in Creve Coeur, Mo., just outside St. Louis, where they connected through sports. Meanwhile, Tkachuk's relationship with Butler is fresher, forming as both players' teams embark on improbable championship runs. Butler even rocked a Tkachuk jersey recently during a shootaround.