Some issues by no means change for Jayson Tatum. As his profession has continued to ebb and circulation, there was one fixed: Tatum finds himself on the middle of dialog.
He broke onto the NBA scene as a formidable function participant when he was 19, solely to oscillate within the public eye between auspicious and overhyped. Main the Boston Celtics to a title in June gave him a championship move, a ultimate phrase to place questions of his stardom to mattress.
But it surely took just some weeks for the dialog to start out once more. This time, the tenor was completely different. As a member of Staff USA, Tatum (alongside Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton) didn’t make it off the bench within the Olympics opener in opposition to Serbia. Although Tatum performed in 4 of the opposite 5 video games — he sat once more in opposition to Serbia within the semifinals — his benching grew to become one of many speaking factors of the match.
“It’s a kind of issues the place there’s been a lot speak and debate,” Tatum mentioned. “There was a interval of is he a famous person or not? Then it was an enormous debate, like, is he championship prepared now? Then it’s like how may he not get within the (Olympics)? I’m like, I simply received a championship, it’s {the summertime}, it could be good to have somewhat break the place you don’t activate ESPN and so they’re speaking about you. However I suppose that is a part of it, and which may be the extent that I’ve reached now in my profession.”
Relive the Boston Celtics’ unbelievable 2024 championship season. Backyard Social gathering takes the reader from preseason all the way in which till the final minute in Boston.
Relive the Boston Celtics’ unbelievable 2024 championship season.
Though he was within the Olympic Village and averted discussing it publicly whereas the Video games have been nonetheless going, Tatum was conscious of what was taking place exterior of Paris. And whereas this was one of many uncommon instances during which the general public appeared to have his again, it nonetheless wasn’t straightforward for him.
“It was rather a lot. Within the age of social media, you see all the things,” Tatum mentioned throughout a cellphone name. “You see all of the tweets and the folks on the podcasts and other people on TV giving their opinion on whether or not they thought it was resolution or it was an outrageous resolution or no matter. Clearly, I wished to contribute extra, and I’ve by no means been in (this) scenario. I began enjoying basketball at (age) 3 on the YMCA, and I’ve by no means not performed, so it was completely different and it was difficult.”
Staff USA head coach Steve Kerr attributed his resolution to matching up in opposition to Nikola Jokić and the massive Serbia roster, then proved he meant it by enjoying Tatum in each remaining sport apart from the Serbia rematch within the semifinals.
Paradoxically, his Celtics teammate Jrue Vacation was a beneficiary of Tatum’s benching as he began these matchups in opposition to Serbia. However Vacation mentioned Wednesday he felt the entire scenario might need been blown out of proportion with the quantity of protection it received throughout the basketball world.
“Once you see it all over the place on a regular basis and individuals are speaking about it and I’m listening to about it on a regular basis, I’m like, ‘Man, I can solely simply think about what he’s going by,’” Vacation mentioned. “I really feel like he loved himself and I really feel like that’s part of the expertise, is having fun with it. I hope he received an opportunity to (take pleasure in) it, as a result of I did. It’s enjoyable to play with him and (Derrick) White, however then it’s additionally enjoyable to play with a few of the finest gamers ever.”
“I wasn’t moping round. I didn’t have an perspective. I wasn’t indignant on the world,” Tatum mentioned. “I stayed prepared and did what was requested of me and I received a gold medal, proper?”
Past the rotation limitations, there was one more reason for Tatum to get knocked down the depth chart. After taking pictures lights out within the second half of the common season, he has been on the worst chilly streak of his profession because the playoffs started.
“I do know I didn’t make a bounce shot once I was with Staff USA. I don’t know, legislation of averages,” Tatum mentioned. “It’s a bizarre rhythm factor being with Staff USA; you by no means precisely know if you’re gonna get the ball. However that’s a part of it. You join that as a result of I’ve completed it earlier than (on the Tokyo Video games).”
Tatum and people round him have maintained he’s not injured and hasn’t misplaced confidence in his shot. Although he shot 28.3 p.c from deep within the playoffs and missed each jumper he took whereas on Staff USA, he mentioned he’s been enjoying basketball lengthy sufficient that he’s not fearful about getting again on monitor by October.
“I’ve two (gold medals) now, I’ve a championship, and all the things doesn’t essentially go the way in which you anticipate it to go, proper?” Tatum mentioned. “I’ve discovered to be like, ‘OK, that’s part of it.’ You progress on, and I’m on the brink of benefit from the final little weeks I’ve earlier than the season begins and prepare for an additional season.”
Tatum’s summer season has been stuffed with success on and off the courtroom. He was named the NBA 2K25 cowl athlete, he has a youngsters’s ebook popping out Sept. 10, and he signed the most important contract extension in NBA historical past (for now).
Jayson Tatum lifts his son, Deuce, after the Celtics received the NBA title at house in Boston. (AP Photograph/Charles Krupa)
Issues have lastly slowed down, so Tatum can deal with spending the remainder of the summer season together with his 6-year-old son Deuce earlier than he begins first grade. As Tatum continues to learn to deal with the more and more vibrant highlight, his son is beginning to perceive who his father is to the remainder of the world.
“Being in school, I suppose, made him understand how large of a deal it was (for) us successful a championship or competing for it,” Tatum mentioned. “He simply thought that was regular till he went to highschool and individuals are speaking in regards to the Celtics and us successful and us making an attempt to compete for a championship. I feel he realized the magnitude of that, being round children his age and even the older children in fourth, fifth grade.”
Final season he would present as much as Deuce’s faculty typically to spend time together with his son’s classmates and academics. Tatum mentioned he cherished studying to his son’s class as the children received excited. Deuce received a style of what it was prefer to be his dad when he was the speak of his faculty as a kindergartner. Whereas his son is rising up quick, Tatum mentioned he’s is studying as a dad or mum to let go.
“I’m not gonna lie, I used to be nervous, at first, to ship him to highschool,” Tatum mentioned. “Simply since you’re placing your most prized possession, your personal little one, within the care of anyone else 5 days every week, which is clearly a traditional factor. Youngsters go to highschool. However at first, I used to be nervous.”
As soon as Deuce begins faculty, Tatum can flip his consideration to his day job. His purpose for the Celtics is to verify they don’t lose their sense of urgency subsequent season. He mentioned they should battle the urge to be complacent, one thing they succeeded with final yr beneath Joe Mazzulla.
The Celtics have been fitted for his or her rings two weeks in the past, and Tatum mentioned everybody was excited by the method. When the staff got here into the ability earlier this month, he instructed everybody they wanted to verify their title celebration was short-lived as soon as the video games started.
“I’m of the mindset that after ring evening, in a bizarre method, we received to place that behind (us),” he mentioned. “Final yr was final yr. We did it. It was a dream come true. We labored our ass off for it. However after ring evening, we gotta transfer on. We gotta prepare for sport two.”
Tatum and the Celtics got here up quick so many instances previously earlier than lastly breaking by this summer season. Only one championship modified their reputations and perspective, despite the fact that they got here so shut so many instances.
However this summer season wasn’t good for Tatum. With all his success got here a humbling expertise as properly. These moments in prior seasons helped hone him into the Celtics’ finest participant, a now formally championship-caliber famous person. So the Staff USA benching, even when it could have been blown out of proportion within the grand scheme of issues, could profit Tatum in the long term.
“I’m at all times a glass-half-full sort of man,” he mentioned. “I at all times imagine all the things occurs for a motive and no matter that’s, I don’t know but. However I’m sure I’ll discover out.”
(High picture: Ezra Shaw / Getty Photographs)
