Jayson Tatum is so close to winning his first NBA Finals championship, as it will enter him onto the list of greatness that has accumulated over the Boston Celtics' historic franchise. However, funny enough, Tatum had no clue about 1981 NBA Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell until now.
He states that he had "no idea" who the former Celtic was and thought he was someone who worked for the radio.
“I had no idea who Cedric Maxwell was. I thought he was just like a radio guy," Tatum said (h/t Boston.com). “I didn’t know that he played on the team, and he won Finals MVP."
Tatum made this statement as he reflected on how much he's grown throughout the years, both on and off the hardwood floor. Not only have his skills increased, but his knowledge has also stepped up.
What else did Jayson Tatum have to say after reflecting on his time in Boston?
No. 0 has made a ton of memories in Boston and is still continuing to do so, becoming the organization's premier player. But Tatum mentions his rookie year and how everything has transpired since then.
“So there were just different instances throughout the season in my rookie year where I would learn about different people that played an intricate part in this organization — the history throughout the Celtics and what the Celtics mean to the game of basketball," Tatum prefaced before saying, "You just grow a level of appreciation through your time here.”
Whether it's Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Bill Russell, and, of course, Cedric Maxwell, there's a long list of names that spell nothing less than excellence.
Now the opportunity has presented itself for Tatum, as he can embed himself among that group of names that will live on forever and ever.
Luckily, he has guys like Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, and more to finish the job. He doesn't have to do it all by himself.