Holding onto a star player in the modern NBA is hard. Warmer weather, brighter lights, or a better roster can all whisk away a franchise cornerstone, and the new CBA and its team-building restrictions make retaining talent even more difficult nowadays. Despite these various factors, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum sounded eager to settle in Beantown for the long haul.
This summer, the five-time All-Star signed a record-breaking extension with the C's worth up to $314 million. It'll span five years and likely carry Tatum into his thirties. Money isn't the only thing keeping the 26-year-old in green and white though, per Marc J. Spears of Andscape.
“I was drafted in 2017 … My son was born [in Boston]. I bought my first car here,” Tatum recalled. “And for me, I admire and love the relationships I’ve built within the organization, all the coaches that I’ve had, obviously, the front office, security guards, trainers, chefs, the fans, the people that work at the Garden, the ball boys that do our laundry. The relationships I’ve built over the last seven, eight years, I can’t imagine starting over and leaving them or this place.”
Like many of his teammates, Tatum has made a life for his family in Boston. Those strong roots have tied him to a sports-obsessed city that's embraced the St. Louis native since the moment he arrived seven years ago.
“There are a bunch of 10-year-olds in Boston who will feel like I’m a part of their childhood,” he said. “‘I grew up watching him play at the Garden. I grew up watching him win championships.’ In a sports town like Boston, that’s special to be a part of.”
Can Tatum and the Celtics create a new dynasty together?
Tatum will have an opportunity for more titles this season, as the Celtics returned a stacked roster and retained most of their depth. After helping the C's secure their 18th banner in franchise history, the former first-round pick is hungry for more and inspired by those who came before him.
“You see when Paul Pierce, [Kevin Garnett], all those guys come back, the pride that they have because they are ingrained in history. You can just feel the energy when those guys come back. They know they did something special,” Tatum described. “That’s what you always wanted to do. I know with the championship I’m in that room. I understand the energy they feel when they come back. It’s a sense of pride, sense of joy, like you accomplished something special. Hopefully, it’s not just one for me.”
The Celtics have the pieces in place to ensure “it's not just one,” yet it won't be easy. With Tatum and company in mind, Eastern Conference contenders like the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers worked hard this offseason to upgrade their cores with big moves. Going back-to-back should be a significant challenge, but Tatum knows how much another ring would contribute to his legacy.
Need further proof that the Celtics aren’t content with one ring?
— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) September 4, 2024
When Oshae Brissett and Jayson Tatum got sized up for their rings, JT said he already picked out where the next one would go💍
“I was going pinky, but I went index. I’m gonna save the pinky for the next one.”… pic.twitter.com/PNDcsO9ygx
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Despite the excellence of Pierce, Garnett, and Ray Allen, they only earned one championship in Beantown. Hall of Famer Larry Bird was arguably the most recent Celtics great to capture multiple rings, and he did so six decades ago. Forming a new dynasty in an exceptionally competitive NBA is Tatum's best path to the upper echelon of basketball legends.
“I’m grateful for all that has come my way,” he said of his relationship with the Celtics. “But more so, they want me to be here. I understand that I got a footprint in helping build the Celtics legacy. A small part that I feel like I’m a part of.”
Tatum's first step along that path begins on Tuesday night when the Celtics host the Knicks and open up the 2024-25 regular season.
