Jayson Tatum 'Still on Cloud 9' After Winning NBA Championship: 'Doesn't Feel Real'

Bobby Krivitsky | Jul 10, 2024

Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) holds up the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy after the Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks in game five of the 2024 NBA Finals at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports / Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

Jayson Tatum will grace the cover of NBA 2K25. He is also a dual-cover athlete for the NBA 2K25 All-Star Edition, sharing the honor with Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson.

The three-time All-NBA First Team selection admitted that he got emotional upon finding out that he's the cover athlete for NBA 2K25, which all editions of are available for pre-order and will be released worldwide on Sep. 6. 

"Because I feel like I'm very blessed and fortunate that when I was younger, I had so many dreams, and goals, and things I wanted to check off," expressed Tatum. "I'm experiencing those things in real-time."

Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports

In his appearance alongside Wilson on Old Man and The Three, with Sue Bird and Tommy Alter, the 26-year-old star who ascended to the NBA summit for the first time less than a month ago, also shared that after having four of his first six seasons in the Association end in the Eastern Conference Finals or two wins short of a championship, the pain of repeatedly coming within arm's reach of the Larry O'Brien Trophy was worth it now that he's captured an NBA title.

"Winning a championship -- however I thought that moment would be like, it's been 100 times better," said Tatum. "Getting there or falling short and getting over that hump, it was well worth it. It still doesn't seem real at times. But I am still on cloud nine of being a champion."

And while Tatum, a 26-year-old star entering the peak of his powers, has made it clear that he has his sights set on winning as many NBA championships as possible, breaking through to capture his first one has brought a sense of relief and lifted a burden off of his shoulders.

"Winning a championship: it did feel like a breath of fresh air," said the five-time All-Star. "Like the weight of expectations were lifted. You've accomplished something that only a few people have in history."

Further Reading

Jayson Tatum Cried Upon Learning He's NBA2K25 Cover Athlete

Baylor Scheierman Surprised He Fell to Pick 30, Excited to Join Celtics

Jayson Tatum Wants to be in Boston His Entire Career

Celtics Rookie Anton Watson Shares Brad Stevens' Message to Him

Celtics' Coaching Staff Changes Match Theme of Boston's Offseason

Celtics Roster, Salary Cap Breakdown After Whirlwind Start to Free Agency

New Details about Plan to Sell Majority Stake in Celtics Revealed

Brad Stevens Shares His Outlook on Celtics' Draft Picks

Baylor Scheierman Shares Celtics' Feedback Before Drafting Him

Al Horford, Raising Cane's, and a Region that Loves Him

On Derrick White and the Fuel for Unprecedented Journey to NBA's Best Role Player

Jayson Tatum, an NBA Champion Entering Peak of His Powers