Jayson Tatum Discusses Building a Legacy with Jaylen Brown in Boston, Offseason Focus, Bill Russell, and Celtics' Additions

Tatum became an All-Star for the third time last season, a member of the All-NBA for the first time, and he helped guide the Celtics to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010.

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Last season was one of firsts for Jayson Tatum. He earned All-NBA First-Team honors and led the Celtics on one of the most impressive in-season turnarounds in the Association's history. While Boston didn't raise banner 18 to the TD Garden rafters, going from outside the top ten in the Eastern Conference in January to finishing two wins shy of capturing the Larry O'Brien Trophy is a rather remarkable accomplishment.

To bolster the Celtics' chances of being the last team left standing this season, Boston added Danilo Gallinari and Malcolm Brogdon this summer while keeping its playoff rotation intact.

As a result, some, such as FanDuel Sportsbook, deemed the Celtics the betting favorite to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy this season. Granted, it's unclear what team Kevin Durant will be on.

When asked about Boston acquiring Gallinari and Brogdon, Tatum expressed the following to Celtics Wire.

"Two veteran guys that have accomplished a lot in this league, and that are coming to a situation where they are trying to add to a really, really good team, and they do make us better, they make us a lot better to hopefully get us over that hump to be a championship team, two guys that really know how to play the right way that truly just want to win at any cost."

And with rumors running rampant being a staple of the NBA's offseason, this summer's seen reports of the Celtics and Nets discussing a blockbuster trade centered around Jaylen Brown and Kevin Durant.

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Tatum, whose name has come up in trade rumors dating back to Boston's pursuit of Anthony Davis in 2019, says he keeps his focus on what he can control, relaying, "if you pay attention to everything you see on Twitter or TV, you drive yourself crazy. I think that’s just something that you have to learn just to keep your own sanity and your own peace."

When it comes to him and Brown building their legacies together in Boston, perhaps adding championship banners and two more retired numbers to the rafters hanging above the parquet in TD Garden, Tatum knows getting there requires staying focused on the present.

"We just try to stay in the moment," Tatum said on NBC Sports Boston. "It’s not necessarily about (what) our legacy will look like if we did this or that. Just trying to be the best versions of ourselves, the best players that we can be, and compete at the highest level. I think we really took those next steps last season. We’ll be the first to tell you that we got more to do, more to accomplish. We’re eager to do so."

He added, "despite all the people that said we couldn’t play together, we always believed that we could."

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Tatum also shared with Celtics Wire what he's focused on this offseason focus as he gears up for the 2022-23 campaign.

"Always first and foremost taking care of my body, in the weight room working on my legs and making sure my core (is good), changing my diet, trying to eat better. The basketball stuff is easier to figure out, I’ve been doing it so long. I think your body is what keeps you up here."

And Tatum, who's learned more about Bill Russell since the Celtics drafted him in 2017, said of Russell, a champion for civil rights, the ultimate winner, and an architect of the franchise, "I want to celebrate all the things that he accomplished, and what he meant to so many people in this world."

Further Reading

Celtics Projected to Have One of the NBA's Most Expensive Teams in 2022-23

Gone but Never Forgotten, Bill Russell Leaves Behind a Lasting Impact on and Off the Court

Magic Johnson Says the NBA Should Retire No. 6 in Honor of Bill Russell

Celtics Sign Noah Vonleh, Who Has a Legitimate Chance to Make the Team

Celtics, Bruno Caboclo Agree to Training Camp Deal

Celtics Announce Preseason Schedule

Paul Pierce Weighs in On Celtics Potentially Trading for Kevin Durant

Whether a Free Agent Signing or Utilizing a Remaining TPE, Exploring Celtics' Remaining Options for a Backup Center