Last year brought a lot of change to Boston in terms of its professional sports teams, but in 2021, Jayson Tatum emerged as one of the biggest stars in the city.
The 23-year-old wing has been to two All-Star Games along with a long list of memorable performances for the Celtics. And when it comes to the significance of playing in Boston, Tatum knows all about it.
“This is a great place to be if you’re a professional athlete,” Tatum shared in a Reddit AMA on Monday.
“People here love their teams. Every game we have is sold out, and it was like that even before I got here, even if you’re rebuilding. They know basketball, and you can feel that in the atmosphere when we’re playing, if I’m out to eat or even just driving through the city.”
In the same Q&A Tatum mentioned his favorite restaurants were in Boston’s North End, where any of the Italian restaurants or steak houses just have “that Boston feel.”
That vibe he speaks of was something he especially was made aware of after conversations with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce during Tatum’s rookie year with the Celtics.
“I’ve had a few convos with KG, and Paul Pierce was around a lot my rookie year. I did a special with him after training camp, and it was great to get the opportunity to talk to a Celtics legend like that my first year,” Tatum said. “I was just in awe and was all ears. He told me about how when he got drafted, he realized there’s a difference between being with this franchise and others. All the championship banners, all the Hall of Famers that played before him and before me. There’s a lot of pride but also a lot of responsibility that comes with putting on that jersey, and a lot of expectations with playing in the city of Boston. The fans here expect excellence.”
The fans in Boston expect excellence indeed, but to this point, Tatum certainly has offered that much and more.
Now, let’s just focus on banner No. 18.
