Celtics Legend ‘Honored’ To Join Jayson Tatum’s ‘Support System’

There might not be anyone better suited to support Jayson Tatum through the upcoming stage of his Boston Celtics tenure than Paul Pierce.

The 25-year-old is entering his seventh season in the NBA, and has eerily similar numbers to that of Pierce when he was entering the same point in his Hall-of-Fame career. Tatum has a leg up in All-NBA and All-Star selections, while Pierce holds the advantage in points (+ 0.7) and assists per game (+ 0.3). The unfortunate spot in which they line up perfectly, however, is a lack of championships.

It wasn’t until Pierce reached a decade of service time that he won a championship, with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen joining him to finally push Boston over the top. Tatum is doing his damnedest to avoid waiting that long, working directly with the Celtics legend in preparation for what he hopes to be the year.

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“It reminds me of the process that I used to go through to get ready for the season,” Pierce said on Showtime Basketball’s “KG Certified.” “Just being able to watch him, and seeing him do the things that make him great — it’s an honor. He’s one of the top five players in the league, so it’s an honor to be there and see him go through his journey to see him get ready. I’m there really on some support, just to see his growth. He’s already at the top of the food chain, so I’m just part of being a support system.”

Tatum and Pierce have worked together throughout the summer, with new Celtics assistant coach Sam Cassell unintentionally bringing the two together. There are obviously plenty of things Pierce can relay to Tatum, but 2008 NBA champion Tony Allen has a specific area in which he believes the 45-year-old can be most helpful.

“That seek and destroy mentality,” Allen said, per Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. “I ain’t saying Tatum don’t got it, but (Pierce is) working out with him. I think that’s good insight. I think that goes a long way, (rather) than just being around some random trainer telling you to, ‘Step back, step back.’ I think it’s all about mentality when you get that rock.”

The Celtics have done their part in building a roster ready to succeed, inking Jaylen Brown to a supermax extension and swinging trades for the rest of their starting lineup. It’s now up to Tatum to deliver Banner 18.