The Start of Something Special

The Celtics knew they were onto something when they drafted Jayson Tatum with the third overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft. “He’s a really skilled player, really talented scorer,” said Head Coach Brad Stevens. “Great kid, great work ethic. We’re excited to have him aboard.” The 19-old-year Duke product made the opening game lineup on October 17, 2017, facing LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Tatum recorded 14 points, three assists and a team-high 10 rebounds as Boston narrowly fell to Cleveland, 102-99. At the end of his rookie season, Tatum finished third on the team in scoring by averaging 14.5 points per game.