Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Discusses Evolution into Superstar Playmaker

As the Boston Celtics battle it out with the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals for the NBA Championship, the 2021-2022 season for the Celtics has also been about the evolution of star forward Jayson Tatum into one of the league’s elite playmakers.

Tatum says that first-year head coach Ime Udoka has played a critical role in his development this season.

“I gotta give a lot of credit to coach,” Tatum said, according to ESPN’s Malika Andrews. “Coach Udoka, coming into this year, challenging myself, obviously, to be the best player I can be, as well as the team. Sitting down with me and telling me that, he told me that last year, it should have left a sour taste in my mouth that I didn’t make All-NBA, and that I need to leave no doubt. It’s more than just scoring, it’s being the best two-way player, being a playmaker, making other guys better. He’s challenged me every day from the beginning of the season. I really appreciate that, and I’ve seen what it’s done for myself and the success of the team.”