Jayson Tatum Sends Strong Message to Media After Celtics' Championship Win

Sam LaFrance | Jul 10, 2024

Jun 21, 2024; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) points to the crowd with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy during the 2024 NBA Championship parade in Boston. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports / Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

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The path to Banner 18 was one surrounded by outside noise and doubt for Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics. After years of coming close, but not quite managing to finish the job, Tatum's Cs were in the crosshairs of national criticism.

Pundits and panelists consistently questioned the star forward's ability to be the best player on a championship team and whether or not he should be viewed amongst the NBA's elite. Even during this spring's playoff run, many pointed to Boston's strong supporting cast as the reason for the team's success -- seemingly in an effort to tear Tatum down.

Now that the job is finished, he couldn't care less what the talking heads have to say.

“There’s so many things they can debate — is he the best player, is he top five? They can’t debate that I won a championship, it’s something that they can’t take from me," Tatum said during an appearance on the "Old Man and the Three" podcast. "I sleep so much better at night.”

Though JT didn't have to carry the same load as previous seasons, he was still the driving force behind the Celtics' championship run, where he led the team in total points, assists, and rebounds.

His commitment to playing a well-rounded game, regardless of how many points he scored was something that impressed coaches around the league. The 26-year-old revealed that one member of the Team USA coaching staff commended him for dominating in all areas throughout the playoffs.

“Earlier in my career, I was so defined — or wanted to be defined — by scoring," Tatum explained. "If I would have off shooting nights, it would affect other things that I was doing on the court."

His versatile impact was certainly felt, helped the team win a title, and brought him some peace of mind going forward.

"I don't care. I honestly don't care what they say anymore," he continued. "It's like 'Yo, I did it.' The thing that they said I couldn't do, I did."

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