The Boston Celtics start their 2024-25 coaching camp subsequent Tuesday however Jayson Tatum, recent off signing the NBA’s traditionally largest contract ($315 million) extension, arrived at Auerbach Heart early on Friday — and with new ink.
Tatum debuted a brand new again tattoo, that includes a picture of the 26-year-old clutching the Larry O’Brien Trophy and sporting Boston’s 2024 NBA Finals championship hat. The picture mirrored Tatum’s locker room feelings and response after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in Sport 5 of the sequence at TD Backyard to grab Boston’s record-setting 18th title, the long-awaited night time that capped off a profession 12 months for the five-time All-Star.
Boston’s co-leader averaged 23.1 factors with 7.2 rebounds and three.5 assists on 47.1% taking pictures from the sphere — Tatum’s highest mark since his rookie 12 months in 2017-18 — and 37.6% from 3-point vary. Tatum completed sixth within the MVP vote and ninth for Clutch Participant of the Yr, however was named to the All-NBA First Crew. It was universally recognized that with Boston welcoming in offseason acquisitions Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Vacation the Celtics would rely solely on Tatum to chase career-high scoring figures, however as an alternative lean on the depth workforce president of basketball operations Brad Stevens labored tirelessly to offer. From Opening Evening, the Celtics bulldozed the remainder of the league.
“We had a hell of a workforce final 12 months,” Tatum advised the St. Louis Publish-Dispatch in August. “They had been so enjoyable to be part of that journey that we had, how we sort of dominated within the common season and went 16-3 within the playoffs. It seemed prefer it was straightforward, but it surely wasn’t. It was onerous. It is thrilling to have the ability to run it again. Now we have the identical workforce coming again. We’re much more motivated to win one other one so let’s have a look at what we are able to do.”
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Tatum spent the summer time chasing one other title. He joined USA Basketball, enjoying alongside LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant and Celtics teammates Jrue Vacation and Derrick White, though the expertise was humbling. Crew USA head coach Steve Kerr did not make the most of Tatum past 17.7 minutes per contest with two DNPs, spoiling Tatum’s shot at making a distinction within the journey to a gold medal victory over Crew France. The dearth of respect challenged Tatum and even precipitated Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla to pay him a check-in go to in Paris, but it surely additionally equipped gas for Boston to keep away from falling content material because the NBA’s reigning champions this upcoming season.
In simply 32 days, Tatum will obtain his first championship ring on Oct. 22 to open up 2024-25 towards the New York Knicks.
