The end is near for Jayson Tatum.
At least as far as the NBA Skills Challenge is concerned.
The Boston Celtics forward declared Thursday night he intends to defend his skills-challenge then retire from the comptition at the ripe old age of … 21. Tatum is one of eight NBA stars who’ll compete in this year’s challenge, which will take place Saturday in Chicago during NBA All-Star Weekend.
“I’m going to get a win on Saturday and then I’m going to retire from the skills competition,” Tatum told TNT’s Allie LaForce, following the Celtics’ double-overtime win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
“I’m going to get a win on Saturday and then I’m going to retire from the skills competition.” ?@jaytatum0 speaks to @ALaForce about defending his #TacoBellSkills title. pic.twitter.com/ZV2zmdaBNC
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 14, 2020
Tatum last year became the first player in Celtics history to win the NBA Skills Challenge when he edged Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young by hitting a crazy, half-court shot.
This year, Tatum’s competition will include; the Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo; the Clippers’ Patrick Beverley; the Brooklyn Nets’ Spencer Dinwiddie; the Milwaukee Bucks’ Khris Middleton; the Detroit Pistons’ Derrick Rose; the Indiana Pacers’ Domantas Sabonis and the Toronto Raptors’ Pascal Siakam.
Like Celtics hero Larry Bird, Tatum has put all of them on notice they’re playing for second place.
Tatum on Sunday will compete in the NBA All-Star Game for the first time.
