The third overall pick of the 2017 NBA draft, Jayson Tatum had a very productive season last year. The timely injuries to Boston Celtics All-stars Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward pushed Tatum into the starting role spotlight, which yielded great results for Coach Brad Stevens.

For his rookie season, Tatum averaged 13.9 points per game on a 43 percent clip from the perimeter. During the playoffs, his numbers were up averaging 18.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.2 steals.

This upcoming season may be different for the sophomore with the return of Irving and Hayward. He might take a backseat more often this time. Expected to be at full strength, the Celtics will have a deep talented roster at their disposal.

According to an interview with Nicole Yang of Boston.com, Tatum said:

“I understand how deep our team is.”

He continued with:

“I just care about winning and doing what I can while I’m on the floor.”

He was talking about the possibility of coming off the bench next season, which did not seem to faze the 20-year-old Celtic wing with the possible lack of playing time.

The young Boston Celtics pushed the LeBron James-led Cavalier squad to the limit, nearly eliminating them at times. They fell 4-3 in the eastern conference finals, although that solidified their rise as one of the top teams in the east despite playing without their All-stars.

With Tatum and the other’s contributions the Boston Celtics are going to be a force to be reckoned with in the east.