Tatum seems to be coming out of his shell more and more. I think not making the All-NBA team is going to bring out the best in him. Little extra motivation...
“Yeah, I was mad about it and it had nothing to do with the money,” he said. “I just felt like I increased my assists, my points, my rebounds, I clearly had a better season this year than last season. With COVID and how it affected our team, I guess people held that against me. I clearly should have made one of those teams but it will happen, but just get better for next year.
“How could you watch my game and the season I had and think I wasn’t one of the best 15 players?”
Joining him in Las Vegas to work with the Select Team is Udoka, with whom Tatum is forming a bond. Tatum was consulted by former coach and new president of basketball operations Brad Stevens about candidates, and he endorsed Udoka.
“I think it was big,” Tatum said. “I think all of the candidates and finalists would have been great decisions. Extremely happy about Ime. I’ve known him for a little while. He’s extremely motivated and I think everybody has a good feeling about this. I think this is going to be great.”
Tatum said he talked with Brown during the coaching search and the two shared ideas of the type of coach they wanted.
“They asked for our input and I know from my perspective, I gave input, but never ‘you need to do this or you need to do that,’” Tatum said. “That’s what they get paid to do. Whoever they hired, I will go out there and do what I got to do.”
Tatum said he fully embraces his role as franchise cornerstone. Following the trade of Kemba Walker, Tatum is now the highest-paid Celtic and most identifiable player.
“That’s the position I’m in now,” he said. “I’ve got to embrace it because I’m invested and I’m a part of all of this and [I embrace] just having my hands on. I got a feel for things going on with the team and the organization and I think it’s only right.”
There have been questions as to whether Tatum and Brown play the same position and whether the two can not only reach the next level together, but help make each other better players. Tatum said they have discussed their role in helping the Celtics return to prominence.
“That’s the goal [to make each other better],” Tatum said. “Both highly motivated and driven guys that want to be the best they can be. We just really want to win. We both really care about winning at our core. That’s the start of it. We’re going to try our best to figure it out.”
Tatum understands he’s the face of the franchise and is fully prepared to accept all the responsibility and scrutiny. At age 23, Tatum has already reached two All-Star Games and amassed games of 53, 60, and 50 points in a six-week span in April and May.
He wants to be one of the greats.
“It’s what I always wanted,” he said. “No matter how old or young I was, I never looked at myself as one of the best young players in the league. I never like when people say that. I feel like I’m one of the best players. That’s what I envisioned when I was younger. That’s what I worked for. I never wanted to just get to the NBA and be in the league, I wanted to be one of the best players.”
-Boston Globe
Topic: Tatum on his All-NBA Snub, Udoka, etc. (Read 4325 times)