Jayson Tatum poured everything into last season, aiming to lead the Boston Celtics to their first NBA championship since 2008. The Celtics made history by surpassing the Los Angeles Lakers in total championships, but for Tatum, individual accolades like the MVP in either the Eastern Conference Finals or the NBA Finals slipped away.
Despite these disappointments, Tatum is driven to elevate his game in the upcoming season. Speaking during the Celtics’ media day on Tuesday, the 26-year-old star made it clear that he’s far from reaching his full potential.
“I just always feel like overall I can still get better. You haven’t seen the best version of Jayson Tatum. And you shouldn’t, right? I’m only 26; I should continue to keep getting better,” Tatum said.
“It does feel different being up here as a champion and knowing what it takes and wanting to be on the top of the mountain as many times as you can,” he added.
Jayson Tatum Dismisses Olympic Benching as Motivation
Despite winning an NBA title, Jayson Tatum seemingly failed to convince Team USA coach Steve Kerr during the Paris Olympics. Tatum was benched for two games against Serbia that drew criticism for Kerr.
However, Tatum himself remains unsure of the reasons behind it. Speaking during the Celtics’ media day, Tatum made it clear that he doesn’t need any external motivation from the experience.
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“Did I need extra motivation to go into the season? No, I’m not going to give anyone particular credit for motivating me going into the season. It was a unique circumstance, something I haven’t experienced before in my playing career. But I’m a believer that everything happens for a reason. I was coming off a championship, highest of highs, cover of 2K, a new contract, and that happened,” Tatum said.
“Whatever the reason is, I haven’t figured it out yet. But I am a believer that everything happens for a reason,” he added.
The Celtics will encounter the Denver Nuggets in the season opening game, against whom they lost both regular-season games last season. Let’s see if Tatum’s inner motivation can work to defeat the Nuggets this time around.
Also Read: Jayson Tatum Names One Team That Could Have Matched Up With The Boston Celtics Last Season.
