Becoming a household name with a historic franchise like the Boston Celtics is no easy feat, yet Jayson Tatum is on track to do just that.
The 25-year-old has plenty of personal accolades, including four All-Star selections, two All-NBA First Team nods, and even an Eastern Conference Finals MVP trophy. However, he still lacks something he needs to enter the upper echelon of Celtics history, per basketball insider Jeff Goodman.
“I would love to be on the Mount Rushmore of Celtics,” Tatum said. “[Larry] Bird, [Bill] Russell, Paul Pierce and those guys. They paved the way. The one thing all those guys have is chips. I have to get to the top of the mountain to even be considered as one of those guys.”
In Boston, championships rule supreme. So, Tatum is right in assuming that he'll have to lead the C's to their first title in over 15 years to enter any conversation with Paul Pierce, Larry Bird, and others. The St. Louis native has come close to a championship repeatedly, with the Celtics losing in the Finals in 2022 and falling one game short of the title round in 2023, but he still hasn't been able to get over the hump.
The good news is that Jayson Tatum has time on his side, a solid team around him, and no shortage of confidence.
“I want to be an all-time great, I want to be known as a winner, and I believe I will be,” he added.
During the 2022-23 campaign, Tatum made his mark on Boston's record books by becoming the first Celtic to average over 30 points per game in a season. With his current health and athleticism, there's no reason he shouldn't be on his way to another stellar year with the 2023-24 season less than two months away.
Personal records aside though, Banner No. 18 is what matters to Boston. And right now it seems to be Tatum's top priority as well.
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