Even before he entered the NBA, Jayson Tatumwas drawing plenty of praise around basketball circles. The Boston Celtics even considered taking him with the first-overall pick before trading down in the Draft, and some claim that he’s the best player in his class.
But over the past couple of years, some around the league are wondering whether Tatum has what it takes to lead a historied franchise to success. Not because of his talents or lack thereof, but because of his mindset.
Recently, his teammate Marcus Smart even called him and Jaylen Brown out, stating that they don’t want to pass the ball when the game is on the line. That’s why Tatum addressed the situation and his relationship with Brown during an interview with Knuckleheads.
Jayson Tatum Explains His Relationship With Jaylen Brown
(Transcript via Fadeaway World)
“It’s been great. Two guys that got drafted back to back, to the same team, same draft number. Every day, every game I know where I’m tryna get to, he know where he want to get to, and we trying to figure it out together.
But in a way, we pushing each other. It has been times where he has done something in game and I’m thinking like “Man, I’m tryna do that”. There has been things I done did, where he’s even told me. “Like, yo.”
Everything we do we compete, in a good way. I’m pushing him, we playing 1-on-1 after practice. I think the next step for us is like feeding off each other more in a game. JB, from where he started his first year, and what they tried to label him, like “he couldn’t shoot” or whatever. He shot 38-40% from the 3 and made his first All-Star game. I couldn’t be happier for him… We two are the hungriest players in the league, we’re still trying to get there.”
The Celtics have one of the most promising young duos in the league, so this is wonderful to hear. At the end of the day, the team will only go as far as they can take them, even if some of their teammates don’t feel that way.