Jayson Tatum says he's chasing Larry Bird, calling him the best Celtic ever
BOSTON -- There is a lot of chatter about Jayson Tatum's Olympic benching giving him an extra level of motivation for the upcoming NBA season. But the Celtics star has downplayed it, saying it's his thirst for more titles and overall greatness in Boston history that keeps him motivated.
Because in Boston, one title isn't enough. True greatness in green is defined by multiple titles, and that's where Tatum's mind is heading into the 2024-25 campaign.
"I didn't need any extra motivation coming into the season. My motivation came from us winning the championship and the company that I joined in doing that," Tatum told Jared Greenberg of NBA on TNT. "The motivation came from not being satisfied."
Tatum is determined to have his name etched high in Celtics history. So he's set his sights on a true legend of Boston sports.
"Larry Bird is the best Celtic to ever wear this uniform and that's the guy that I'm chasing," said Tatum. "Even if I fall short of that, if I aspire to be as great as he was and if you fall a little short, you had a hell of a career. My motivation is to chase the best players to ever play, the best players to ever wear a Celtic uniform."
Many will argue that Bill Russell and his 11 titles, five MVPs, and league-altering defense is the top of the top in Celtics history. John Havlicek is also in the conversation as the franchise's all-time leading scorer and an eight-time champ.
But as Tatum said, shooting for a career similar to Larry Bird's is nothing to scoff at either. Tatum may some day compete for Havlicek's points record -- he trails Hondo by 14,543 points, which would be a decades worth of scoring from Tatum -- but Bird's three championships seem like a more realistic and attainable accomplishment for Tatum. Bird also brought home three MVPs, a pair of Finals MVPs, and 12 All-Star nods in addition to his trio of titles.
Tatum obviously has a lot of work to do to match the true greats in Celtics history. But with a title at the age of 26, he's off to a pretty good start. And he's also got a great attitude that should help him get there.
Tatum did not win Finals MVP last season, with the honor going to teammate Jaylen Brown. Tatum struggled with his shot throughout the Finals, but still made a huge impact with his plus-defense and playmaking abilities. He would love to add a Finals MVP -- now named after Russell -- to his collection, but all he cares about is the Celtics winning more titles under his watch.
"I'm not the only superstar to not win Finals MVP. Steph Curry got four rings and he only has one. Isiah Thomas didn't win every time. Larry Bird didn't win Finals MVP every time he won a championship," Tatum told Greenberg. "The most important part is that we won, and I know I played a huge role in us winning a championship.
"I was happy that we won," Tatum added, saying the Celtics needed everyone on the roster to get the job done. "I know that I'm going to win Finals MVP one day, which means I get to win another championship."
Tatum and the Celtics will begin their quest for a second straight NBA title on Oct. 22 against the New York Knicks at TD Garden. And if Tatum does end up matching Bird's title tally at one point, he'll have to up his expectations to match the likes of Russell and Havlicek.
