Joe Mazzulla, the coach of Jayson Tatum, could not have been more pleased with the challenges Tatum faced during the NBA Finals and the Paris Olympics, including not winning the Finals MVP and being benched twice.
Mazzulla, who recently guided the Boston Celtics to their 18th NBA championship in June, views Tatum’s recent setbacks as a valuable opportunity.
Mazzulla expressed his thoughts in a conversation reported by Jay King on Wednesday, saying, “He’s only 26, and I told him, ‘Look at all you’ve achieved already. Take a moment to appreciate that and be thankful for, God willing, another 10, 12, maybe 14 years in this league. You have so much more to experience.’ I believe we haven’t yet seen his best because he continues to work hard and is always ready to improve.”
“So I think it’s fantastic that he has these challenges to strive towards. When you’re successful, you sometimes need to look harder for new goals. It might be a defeat or a losing streak that presents this. He’s got that now, right in front of him. I see it as a gift,” Mazzulla added.
Despite a solid regular season performance with averages of 23.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting 46.0% from the field and 37.5% from three, Tatum faced criticism for his three-point shooting in the playoffs. However, he excelled as a playmaker and defender, helping the Celtics win the NBA title. This criticism intensified after Tatum missed out on the NBA Finals MVP award and was benched during Team USA’s games against Serbia in Paris for tactical reasons.
Now, Tatum is focused on pursuing his second NBA championship.
“As his coach and someone who deeply cares about him, I think it’s wonderful because it provides him with long-term objectives,” Mazzulla stated.
Training camp begins Wednesday for the Celtics, who are among the favorites to make it back to the NBA Finals. Success isn’t guaranteed; it has to be earned, and Tatum will play a crucial role in Boston’s quest for glory in 2024.
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