Tuesday at the Auerbach Center, Paul George and Mike Conley met with the local media for the first time since joining the Boston Celtics.
Their introductory press conference provided a chance to learn about George's mentality as he enters this new chapter of his career.
Along with sharing the key to his meshing with Jayson Tatum, the nine-time All-Star also opened up about whether he still views himself as a superstar.
"We have a superstar, and that's JT. I'm not here to -- not necessarily steal the shine or try to reinvent who I am," said George. "I'm here to help JT, and he's the guy. I've played alongside another superstar wing, and we coexisted beautifully."
Paul George and Jayson Tatum are built to mesh
The Celtics' new wing has played alongside future Hall of Famers like Russell Westbrook, Kawhi Leonard, and Joel Embiid. However, with Tatum, George has seemingly found a star he fits better alongside than any other he has joined forces with in his career.
They complement each other beautifully and are a natural pairing at both ends of the floor. They can also learn from each other's experiences. Both know what it's like to be the No. 1 option. And to work your way back from a traumatic injury.
With George eight years older than his new teammate, as he said at his introductory press conference, there's an opportunity to mentor Tatum. That relatability, paired with the differences in their journeys, is another part of the formula that should allow these two to develop excellent chemistry together.
How Paul George's two-way game fits alongside Jayson Tatum
The six-time All-NBA selection is set up to excel next to Tatum and in the Celtics' system.
George will have an important role on this team, but he doesn't arrive with the same expectations as he had at any of his previous stops. As he stated on Tuesday, the franchise has a superstar, and his name is Jayson Tatum.
George's job is to be a high-level role player. No one is projecting or asking of him to be an All-Star. Instead, he can allow his cerebral nature and what he does best on the court to take care of everything.
The former Philadelphia 76er is an ideal kick-out option. He is fresh off a season in which he drilled 41.7 percent of the 4.5 catch-and-shoot 3s he attempted, per NBA Stats. He also remains an effective isolation scorer, a turnover suppressor, and an underrated facilitator.
Defensively, his disruptive nature, utilizing his length and IQ to swipe steals [he averaged 1.7 per game last season] and deflect passes [he averaged 4.1], will elevate a team that ranked 29th in opponents' turnovers per contest.
Even though he arrived in a trade that sent beloved homegrown star Jaylen Brown to a rival franchise, all George has to do is play his game while enjoying less pressure than ever in his career, and he should live up to his goal of helping Tatum shine while he does the same.
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