The Boston Celtics have appeared in more NBA Finals than any other franchise. From the storied days of Bill Russell to the 80s revolution of Larry Bird, few organizations have been home to more genuine superstar talent. You cannot write the history of the NBA without the Celtics.
Jayson Tatum is the new age of Celtics stardom, and he wants his place in the history books.
"I would love to be on the Mount Rushmore of Celtics," Tatum told Jeff Goodman of The Messanger. "Bird, Russell, Paul Pierce and those guys. They paved the way."
Tatum is aware of the cost of greatness, however. A player doesn't reach the Mount Rushmore of any franchise — much less the Celtics — without a ring. Tatum has been on the doorstep a couple times, but he has yet to hang Banner 18 in the TD Garden rafters.
"The one thing all those guys have is chips," Tatum said. "I have to get to the top of the mountain to even be considered as one of those guys. I want to be an all-time great, I want to be known as a winner, and I believe I will be."
Jayson Tatum wants to join Boston Celtics Mount Rushmore
This is an admirable pursuit for Tatum, who certainly has the talent and early resume to earn his way into the annals of Boston sports history. He's already a beloved figure in one of America's greatest sports towns.
Only 25 years old, Tatum already has four All-Star appearances, three All-NBA nods, and a conference finals MVP to his name. Last season, he averaged 30.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists on .466/.350/.854 splits. He's a consensus top-10 NBA player and a perinnail MVP candidate. It's only a matter of time until Tatum makes noteworthy additions to his awards collection.
Boston finished second in the Eastern Conference last season and lost to the Miami Heat in the conference finals. The Celtics were in the NBA Finals in 2022 — Tatum's first go-around — but the Golden State Warriors dynasty got in the way. Boston's inexperience has frequently bit them on the big stage, but at some point the inexperience excuse goes out the window. Tatum has been to two conference finals now. At some point, optimism rooted in the future becomes pessimism rooted in the past. Tatum and the Celtics need to deliver soon.
The Celtics are expected right back on the conference finals stage next season. There is tough competition in the East — Milwaukee, reigning-champion Miami (with a potential Damian Lillard addition), the wayward but MVP-employing Sixers — but the Celtics are the best team on paper. No team possesses more depth and balance, especially after a splashy summer trade for Kristaps Porzingis.
Tatum is more than capable of guiding Boston to the promised land. He put together some all-time performances during Boston's latest postseason run, including a mesmerizing 51-point, 13-rebound Game 7 performance against the Sixers. Those are the games define a future Hall of Famer's career.
But, Tatum is angling for more than the Hall of Fame. He's angling to be known as one of the best in franchise history — Celtics franchise history. That's an impossibly high bar for most, but not for Tatum. That said, Tatum has to start collecting rings in the very near future if he wants to launch himself into that rarified conversation.