Camila Sosa
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum is having an excellent season as the focus of one of the best teams in the entire NBA this year, and among his peers he’s not going unnoticed at all. Both Draymond Green (star of the Golden State Warriors) and Bradley Beal (star of the Washington Wizards) gave their thoughts about the young 24-year-old forward, in Green’s personal podcast, and both agree that in Tatum’s future there is only success ahead.
Statements about Jayson Tatum
During an episode of The Draymond Green Show in which Beal was the special guest, the two fell for Jayson having shared playing time with him both in the U.S. national basketball team and in pre-NBA times. The Washington guard in particular has known the young Celtics star since he was a child and knew his career would be very special.
“A lot of people know that we grew up together, we’re both from St. Louis, we went to the same high school, our mothers know each other and I always told Jayson (Tatum) when he was younger “You’re going to be millions of times better than me.” And to see it happen so fast in these last few years is crazy. Seeing the success he has makes me forget how young he still is. He’s been around me forever, I’ve known him since he was in diapers.”
“He’s the next sensation in the league, the next ”face” that will represent the NBA and I told him that’s his goal. He has a great group of people who support and motivate him, his mother being number one, but whenever I see him I tell him: you are the face of this league, you have that opportunity.”
Bradley Beal, star of the Washington Wizards, on Jayson Tatum.
This season Tatum earned the third All-Star Game pick in his short five-year career, and he is currently averaging 27 points, 8.1 rebounds (both career highs), 4.3 assists and nearly one steal per game in 70 games played so far. The Celtics (46-28 record) are vying for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, just a game and a half behind the Miami Heat.
The show’s host also didn’t sit quiet and agreed on everything Beal said about Jayson, adding also his experience with him during the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
“You see this guy who is so young and has been competing with us at this level for four or five years since he came to the league. In my mind I thought ”He’s one of us”, but when I was with him at the Olympics, with some of the questions he asked me, I would come to my senses and think ”It’s a baby, this boy”. But it doesn’t cross your mind because of how good he is and because he’s so fast on the same level as us: All-Stars, producing even better numbers.”
“In our team (the U.S. national team) Kevin Durant was the man, but you could clearly see that the next to be ”the man” was him (referring to Jayson Tatum). And there were games where KD himself said ”Hey, come on, it’s time for you to take control of the game” and as if they were clockwise, he got it.”
Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green over Jayson Tatum.
Will the Celtics be able to reach the NBA Finals with Jayson Tatum? Or is it still too early to see him succeed with Boston?
