Jayson Tatum lays out two major goals -- and one is a surprise
BOSTON -- Jayson Tatum knows the deal.
A veteran of six NBA seasons, the four-time All-Star understands that while accumulating accolades is nice, the city of Boston and the Celtics franchise really only care about one thing: winning championships.
As such, Tatum has -- understandably -- maintained a goal of climbing to the top of the NBA mountain.
"I would love to be on the Mount Rushmore of Celtics -- Bird, Russell, Paul Pierce and those guys. They paved the way," Tatum said in an interview with The Messenger's Jeff Goodman. "The one thing all those guys have is chips. I have to get to the top of the mountain to even be considered as one of those guys. I want to be an all-time great, I want to be known as a winner, and I believe I will be."
While the goal of adding a banner to the rafters at TD Garden is shared by everyone in the organization, Tatum also revealed a separate goal that may be surprising to hear from one of the NBA's best scorers.
"I want to make an all-defensive team," Tatum told Goodman. "That's what I want."
Coming off back-to-back spots on the All-NBA First Team, Tatum clearly has identified a spot in his game that he believes can improve. Defense hasn't been a weakness for the 6-foot-8 Tatum, but he was on the floor with Marcus Smart when the now-former Celtics guard earned First Team All-Defensive honors in three of the past five years.
Tatum surely acknowledged the significance of that contribution, and with Smart now moving on to Memphis, the 25-year-old is looking to help fill the defensive void.
