Jayson tatom
Tatum was selected with the third overall pick by the Boston Celtics in the 2017 NBA draft and voted to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2018. A five-time NBA All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection, Tatum was named the NBA Eastern Conference Finals Most Valuable Player in 2022 and helped the Celtics reach the NBA Finals. He also won a gold medal on the 2020 U.S. Olympic team in Tokyo. He holds the record for most points scored in an NBA All-Star game, with 55, and the most points scored in a Game 7 of any NBA playoffs series, with 51
High school career
Tatum attended Chaminade College Preparatory School in Creve Coeur, Missouri.[1][2] As a freshman, he averaged 13.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game and was named 2013 Metro Catholic Conference (MCC) Co-Player of the year, leading the Red Devils to both MCC and Missouri District 2 crowns. As a sophomore in 2014, he averaged 26.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game.[3]
As a junior, Tatum averaged 25.9 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game, while earning Second-team Naismith Trophy All-American honors. In summer 2015, Tatum joined the St. Louis Eagles Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team on the highly competitive Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) Circuit. On July 11, the Eagles defeated future Duke teammate Harry Giles and Team CP3 74–73 in the Nike Peach Jam Semi-Finals with a game-winning buzzer-beater to advance to the championship game, where Tatum finished the game with 28 points and 5 rebounds.[4] On July 12, Tatum tallied 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocks in a 104–77 loss to the Georgia Stars and future Duke one-and-done Wendell Carter Jr. in the 2015 Nike Peach Jam championship game.[5] During the Circuit, Tatum led the EYBL in scoring with 26.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.
Prior to his senior year, Tatum made a verbal commitment to Duke University over North Carolina, Kentucky, Saint Louis University.[6][7] Among his senior-year highlights were a 40-point, 17-rebound game in a 76–57 win over Bentonville High School and its star Malik Monk,[8] a 46-point game against Huntington Prep and Miles Bridges at the Cancer Research Classic,[9] and a final 40-point game against DeMatha Catholic High School and future #1 NBA draft pick Markelle Fultz at the 2016 HoopHall Classic
As a senior in 2015–16 Tatum averaged 29.6 points and 9.1 rebounds and posted six 40-point games while leading Chaminade to its second Missouri Class 5A state championship.[11] Tatum was selected to the 2016 McDonald's All-American Game on March 30, 2016, at the United Center in Chicago, leading the East Team in scoring with 18 points and grabbing 8 rebounds in a 114–107 loss.[12] In April, Tatum also played in the Jordan Brand Classic, where he scored 18 points in a 131–117 win against the West team.[13] Tatum was named the 2016 Gatorade National Player of the Year.[14]
Recruiting
Tatum was rated as a five-star recruit and considered one of the best prospects in the 2016 class.[15][16][17] He was ranked as the No. 3 overall recruit behind Harry Giles and Josh Jackson and No. 2 small forward in the 2016 high school class
College career
Before the start of 2016–17, Tatum missed the first eight games due to a foot injury.[21][22] On December 3, 2016, in his Duke debut, Tatum recorded 10 points in a 94–55 win over Maine.[23] On December 6, Tatum tallied 22 points and 8 rebounds in an 84–74 victory over Florida at the Jimmy V Classic.[24] On December 12, Tatum was named ACC freshman of the week.[25] On December 21, Tatum scored 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks in a 72–61 win over Elon.[26] On January 4, 2017, Tatum scored 19 points in a 110–57 victory over Georgia Tech.[27] On January 7, he recorded 22 points and 6 rebounds in a 93–82 victory over Boston College.[28] On January 21, Tatum scored 14 in a 70–58 win over Miami.[29] On February 13, Tatum earned his second ACC freshman of the week honor.[30] On February 15, he scored a season-high 28 points and had 8 rebounds in a 65–55 victory against Virginia.[31] On February 18, Tatum scored 19 points in a 99–94 victory over Wake Forest.[32] As the fifth seed in the ACC tournament, Duke defeated Clemson in the second round and Louisville in the quarterfinals. On March 10, Tatum scored 24 points in a win over rival North Carolina in the semifinals.[33] On March 11, Tatum tallied 19 points and 8 rebounds in a 75–69 victory against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, earning the Blue Devils the ACC tournament championship.[34][35]
Tatum was named to the All-ACC Tournament team, after averaging 22.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game for the Blue Devils.[36] As the #2 seed entering the NCAA tournament, Duke defeated Troy University in the first round, but exited early in a second-round loss against South Carolina.[37] Tatum averaged 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in the tournament. In his freshman season for Duke in 2016–17, Tatum played 29 games and averaged 16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.1 assist, and 1.3 steals per game, and was named to the ACC All-Freshman team & a third team All-ACC selection.[38] Tatum had a successful freshman season at Duke, ranking fourth in made free throws (118), rebounds (fifth), and free throw percentage (849.).[39]
At the conclusion of his freshman season Tatum opted to go directly into the 2017 NBA draft as a one-and-done, where he was projected as a first-round selection.
Professional career
would praise Tatum's work there, stating: "He's built for stardom."[54]
On May 22, 2018, Tatum was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team (First Team).[55]
In the Celtics 2018–19 season opener, Tatum scored 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assist in a 105–87 win against the Philadelphia 76ers.[56] On October 20, he scored 24 points and 14 rebounds in a 103–101 victory over the New York Knicks.[57] On October 25, Tatum scored 24 points and 6 rebounds in a 101–95 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.[58] On November 16, Tatum recorded 21 points and 7 rebounds in a 123–116 overtime win against the Toronto Raptors.[59] On December 25, he scored 23 points and 10 rebounds in a 121–114 overtime win against the Philadelphia 76ers.[60] On February 5, Tatum tallied 25 points and 7 rebounds in a 103–96 victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers.[61] On March 6, Tatum scored 24 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assist in a 126–120 win against the Sacramento Kings.[62] During NBA All-Star Weekend, he won the Skills Challenge competition.[63]
2019–20 season: First All-Star and All-NBA appearances
the same day.[84] On April 19, Tatum recorded his first career triple-double with 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 102–96 loss to the Chicago Bulls.[85]
On May 4, Tatum brought the Celtics back from a 32-point deficit against the San Antonio Spurs, a performance that produced the third-largest comeback in NBA history and gave Tatum a career high of 60 points, tied for the highest points total by a Celtics player (Larry Bird). Tatum was one of three players to score 60+ points without a single turnover and was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week after averaging 42.7 points per game, 6.0 assists per game, and 6.0 rebounds per game.[86]
In Game 3 of the first-round series against the Brooklyn Nets and their "Big Three" (Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving), Tatum scored 50 points on 50% shooting (16/30), and put up 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals. With the feat, Tatum achieved a variety of records, becoming the first player in NBA playoff history to score 50 points after scoring single digits the previous game; he also passed 1,000 points in the playoffs and became the fifth-highest postseason point scorer at age 23 or younger in NBA history as well as the first Celtics player since Isaiah Thomas to score 50+ points in the NBA playoffs and the third youngest player in NBA playoff history to reach that mark in a single game. In terms of franchise records, Tatum became just the sixth person in Celtics history to score 50+ points in a playoff game; he also became the only player in NBA history to score 50+ points more than once in the regular season, 50+ points in a play-in game, and 50+ points in the playoffs.[88][89] Despite losing to the Nets in five games, Tatum set a Celtics franchise record for most points scored in a three-game span in the playoffs, with a combined total of 122 points.[90]
2021–22 season: All-NBA First Team selection and first NBA Finals
assists.[145] The Celtics won the game 104–103, behind Derrick White's game-winning buzzer-beater.[146] In Game 7, early into the game, he injured his ankle after a layup attempt, but managed to play for the rest of the game; however, his body language and unusual lack of explosiveness made it clear he was playing through pain. The Celtics lost the series in seven games to the Miami Heat.[147] During the post-game interview, Tatum addressed his ankle injury: “It was just frustrating that I was … a shell of myself. It was tough to move. Just frustrating; it happening on the first play.”[148]
2023–24 season
On November 4, 2023, Tatum put up 32 points and 11 rebounds in a 124–114 win over the Brooklyn Nets and became the youngest player in Celtics history to reach 10,000 career points at 25 years and 246 days of age.[149][150] On November 20, Tatum scored a season-high 45 points, along with 13 rebounds and 6 assists in a 121–118 overtime loss against the Charlotte Hornets.[151] On January 25, 2024, Tatum was named an Eastern Conference starter for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, marking his fifth consecutive selection and his second selection in a row as a starter.[152]
On February 13, 2024, Tatum put up 41 points, with 31 of them coming from the first half and tying a career-high for points scored in a first half, 14 rebounds, five assists, and five three-pointers made in a 118–110 win over the Brooklyn Nets. He also joined Larry Bird as the only players in Celtics franchise history to put up at least 25 40-point games.[153][154] On March 9, Tatum and Brown combine for 56 points in a 117–107 victory against the Phoenix Suns; Tatum became the third player in Celtics history to record 1,000 three-pointers, joining Paul Pierce and teammate Brown
