Jayson Tatum’s basketball camp is officially underway, and so far we’ve received blocked shots, Duece appearance requests, and some very clever responses during the media availability.
Before we look at Tatum’s discussions with the press, let’s start with the fun stuff like the St. Louis native doing his best Robert Williams impression by sending a shot from a young fan flying into the crowd.
Ok, fair is fair, you took a shot against an All-NBA talent, and it was blocked. What do you expect to happen? And more importantly, do you really care? Because you have to take a chance against Jayson Tatum, and that alone is worth the entry fee!
Still, the event didn’t go entirely in Tatum’s favor, as some kids managed to score on him, and I bet that’s what led him to block the overhead shot so viciously. You have to save face where you can, right?
And while we’re on the topic of kids, check out this young fan who had a chance to ask Tatum whatever he wanted…and decided to ask to meet Duece! I mean, Tatum has always said that her mini-me is the biggest star, but this might be the first time we’ve seen it on video.
“I always like to do these camps, just to see the excitement on their faces when I walk in. That’s extremely pure, and it’s just about having fun, and I think that’s the best part.” Tatum said.
Ok, that’s enough of the fun stuff! Now we can get into the real side of basketball, and it all starts with the All-Star wing talking about how he kept in touch with his teammates all summer.
“We’ve all been in touch, just checking in with each other, seeing how they’re doing. Everybody is traveling with family and stuff right now, but probably next month, guys will start getting back in the gym. Some of us could be together in Los Angeles and work out, things like that. Tatum told reporters when asked about his communication with the team over the summer..
Tatum was also asked about team chemistry, which is something the Celtics have struggled to create in recent seasons with mixed results. And with all the current trade rumors, it will be interesting to see how that chemistry holds up next season. But for now, the 24-year-old wing remains confident in his team’s collective mindset, and that’s encouraging as we continue to inch closer to training camp.
“Chemistry is half the battle. I feel like you can have a great team with great talent, and not necessarily join. You guys saw that we found out in January and we never look back… it’s a little bit different, knowing that we got to a certain point and we were so close. And we’re excited to get back to that, to get back into the group, because we have unfinished business.”
Tatum also spoke about the lingering shoulder injury he sustained in the Miami Heat series, providing an uplifting update that will have Celtics fans everywhere breathing a sigh of relief.
“It was a longer season than I’ve ever played, but the shoulder feels good, I’ve had enough rest, so my body feels great,” Tatum said, “You know what works for you, what you can need to change, whether it’s something in your strength program or your diet, so I think just by going through things and having that experience, you learn from that.”
Last week might have been filled with trade rumors and concerns about Jaylen Brown’s future with the franchise, but Tatum’s camp and what he told the media is a good reminder that this Celtics team is the real deal. – They’re tight-knit, they’re looking to improve on last season, they’ve improved their depth, and most importantly, they love their time in the league.
When things are fun, success is usually easier, and judging by all the videos that came out of the camp, there wasn’t a sad face to be seen across the board, and that’s what basketball, in its purest form, is all about. Sometimes it’s good to remember that.