If you ask Kendrick Perkins, winning an NBA championship this month won't be enough to put Jayson Tatum in the rarefied air of Celtics history.
A Larry O'Brien Trophy would be enough to attach icon status to a player in the majority of NBA franchises. But things are different in Boston, where 17 championship banners hang from the TD Garden rafters. Some of basketball's all-time best helped deliver those titles, and they elevated their games when it mattered most.
That's what Perkins believes Tatum must do against the Dallas Mavericks to be mentioned in the same breath as Celtics greats who came before him.
"We're talking about Paul Pierce, Bill Russell, Larry Bird -- the list goes on," Perkins said Monday on ESPN's "NBA Today." "Why do I say that? Because when I think about Jayson Tatum, not only does he have an opportunity to win the NBA championship, but he's got to win the Finals MVP to be cemented in Celtics royalty. Meaning, you got to go out there and be the best player on the floor. Damn it, I know everybody right now is picking Luka (Doncic) as the best player in this series. You go out there and do what you're supposed to do and be the best player on the floor and outplay Luka Doncic. Then, you're gonna get both of those trophies. Now, you're in a different conversation. You're viewed differently. Now, you're in royalty. You're Celtics royalty, which is a high thing to be in."
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The Finals MVP award might not be totally necessary to lift Tatum's legend. For instance, Kevin Garnett didn't claim that hardware in 2008, but his efforts and impact in that championship season never will be lost in Celtics lore.
But Perkins was right in saying Tatum must play at an elite level in the Finals if he wants to be grouped with Celtics legends. Even if he's not holding the Bill Russell Award in a few weeks, Tatum will be properly recognized if he plays a leading role in a championship.
Featured image via Trevor Ruszkowski/USA TODAY Sports Images
