'Thanks to the Bucks': Jayson Tatum Shares Reaction to Learning Celtics Acquired Jrue Holiday

Rob Greene | Jul 10, 2024

Jan 10, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) has a laugh with guard Jrue Holiday (4) during overtime of their 127-120 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports / Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

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Boston Celtics

Brad Stevens could not get the smile off of his face the entire time Jrue Holiday was speaking during his Boston Celtics introductory press conference.

The franchise's president of basketball operations and former head coach described the intensity of the new-look Celtics first practice together. A lot of physicality and talking, high-energy, balls flying everywhere. Celtics ownership raised their eyebrows as they painted the picture of their first practice together. Wyc Grousbeck said there were nothing but flashes of the 2008 championship team.

“I’ve tried to get Jrue Holiday on the Celtics for, since I’ve been the coach,” Stevens said. “I know I would go into Danny’s (Ainge) office every year and be like, ‘Hey, can we get Jrue Holiday somehow?’”

The piece that Boston’s front office had dreamed of for so long did exactly what the Celtics’ franchise imagined he could do: Help get the team over the hump in its pursuit of Banner 18.

Jayson Tatum recently spoke on The Old Man and The Three here in the summer of Tatum as an NBA champion, who signed the most lucrative player contract in league history, is at Team USA training camp for the Olympics in Paris, and just got named NBA 2K25’s cover athlete.

One topic of conversation was the five-time All-Star's reaction when first alerted that the Celtics acquired Holiday right before training camp started.

.@jaytatum0 talks about how adding Jrue to the roster last season made him confident in what the Celtics could accomplish.

Watch the full Championship Conversation with @_ajawilson22 and @S10Bird on YouTube: https://t.co/TAly1pcE1f pic.twitter.com/No1irbN13e
— TheOldMan&TheThree (@OldManAndThree) July 10, 2024

“At first I was like I can’t believe Milwaukee let this happen,” Tatum said. “So, thanks to the Bucks." The three-time All-NBA First Team selection continued, “I knew we had a really good chance to win a championship, (but) a lot of things have to go right. You have to stay healthy, have to be on the same page, people have to get along. It’s a little bit of luck that’s involved.

"But knowing that Jrue had a championship DNA and I had won a Gold Medal with him, I knew what kind of player and person that he was, I knew it was gonna make our team better. We already got KP (Kristaps Porzingis), we already had a really good team. So, yeah, when we got Jrue, I was pretty confident at what we could accomplish.”

Holiday and Tatum could now win their second gold medal together before setting their sights on Banner 19.

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