Jayson Tatum opens up on Achilles injury, lack of appreciation, Cetlics outlook & more! | First Take

Jayson Tatum opens up on Achilles injury, lack of appreciation, Cetlics outlook & more! | First Take

[Applause] Welcome back to First Take. You know, the Celtics have been a different team since Joe Missoula took over as head coach three seasons ago. In his first season at the helm, Missoula and the Celtics won 57 games. They made it to the conference finals. Boston lost to the Heat in a wild sevengame series where they came back from down three games to none. Then Boston won 64 games in the following season. 14 more games in the next closest Eastern Conference team on their way to their 18th NBA title when they beat the Mavericks in five games. All signs pointed to a repeat as the Celtics recorded another 60- win season before superstar Jason Tatum ruptured his Achilles in game four of the Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Knicks. Boston went on to lose the series in six games. And guess who we have here? We now welcome in Boston Celtics superstar Jason Tatum here on behalf first vertex. Thanks so much for being with us, Jason. Thanks for having me. Um, I just mentioned the injury. Sorry to bring it up. I’m sure you didn’t love watching the video, but nonetheless, how are you feeling? How’s the rehab going? Uh, it’s going all right. It’s uh it’s been a long journey. Uh, believe it or not, today is 19 weeks. Every Tuesday is a week. Uh, it’s been a it’s been a long journey, some ups and downs, uh, but I’m getting there. When you say it’s been ups and downs, talk about that for a second. What’s I mean obviously being injured, but what’s the hard part? Is it just going through it trying to rehab or is it knowing that in all likelihood you’re going to miss the entire season, upcoming season? It’s it’s tough to pinpoint like what is the toughest part. Um it’s phases. I think the first phase is accepting that this happened. I was in disbelief at you know for about two weeks, right? Um, and the other tough part was ever since I was a kid, I could always envision myself getting drafted, winning the championship, having my own shoe, covered 2K, all the things. This was the first time it was hard. I couldn’t envision like I’m sitting there at my mom’s house with my foot elevated, and it’s like it was hard to envision playing basketball. It was hard to envision walking up steps, and I think that was kind of like defeating in that moment. U So, it’s just it’s things like that. um that you know there were some low moments throughout this journey, but I’m sure as you inch closer and closer to recovery, maybe things become a little bit clearer, right? And and as Stephen A said, you’re likely going to miss all of next season. So, how are you staying connected with your team, with your teammates? Um, like you said, it’s it’s been a lot and it’s been a great support system and reasons why that you know, I’ve gotten to this point. Um, I think obviously a big reason why I’m here is to announce my partnership with Vert.ex Pharmaceuticals. Uh there was a period at four weeks where you know you introduce 50% weight bearing and I’m on crutches. So I have surgery and I haven’t put any weight on this side for a month you know. So talking to the doctor, he’s like, you know, you’re going to experience some discomfort and some pain. And that’s when, you know, we had a conversation. We went through my medical history, and he prescribed me draavics, which is a nonopioid um for moderate to severe acute pain. Um and like anything has side effects that, you know, you should talk to your doctor about, but for me, it relieved the pain and it gave me a clear mind going into rehab at that moment. I was confident to attack whatever I was trying to do, you know, during that time. You know, when I think about you, I’mma tell you what I think is going to be the upside to it. You may not feel this way, but I do. You’re six time AllStar, you’re five time AllNBA player. Obviously, you’re a champion, conference finals, NBA finals. You’ve done all of this, but there’s been an absence of appreciation for who you are. I mean, you know, you’re a great player, model citizen, everybody loves you, but a lot of people look at you and know, you know, they when they talk about superstars in the NBA, they don’t talk about you like that, even though they know that’s what you are. And I’m wondering whether or not you being out is going to elevate the level of appreciation that you will ultimately receive. Have you thought about that at all in terms of people looking at you knowing what you bring to the table, but somehow someway it’s almost never enough? So, first of all, I appreciate that. Um, you deserve it. Thank you. Uh, and you know, from from my perspective, it’s like I live a great life. I’ve accomplished a lot. I’ve been able to take care of my family. I’ve largest contract in NBA history. Like, I’ve done everything I’ve, you know, set out to do. And I’m not complacent. There’s still a lot of things I want to do. I’m certain I’m not the only person that feels like they don’t get enough credit. I think that’s just the nature of being one of the best players in the NBA that you’re going to get criticized, you know, when things don’t go the right way and you feel like you never get enough credit. So, I’m not going to say like, you know, everybody’s against me or anything like that. Um, I’m certain my mom might feel that way. Yeah. Um, and people close to me, but uh, you know, I I haven’t thought about it that way. I know there’s a lot of people, a lot of fans out there that appreciate what I do, what I bring to the table. Um, so it’s more about the people that appreciate what I do, not trying to gain, you know, people that don’t appreciate me. Ch, let me let me let me go with him here because I got to talk to you about the Boston Celtics for a second here. I mean, you know, I mean, I I did not like seeing you get injured. I I did I was not happy about that. I was happy y’all lost though because to my Knicks. I’m not going to lie about that either. Okay. You knew that. But you know, you know how I am. All right. But as I’m looking at Boston right now, you’re out. Drew Holidayiday’s gone now. Porzingis is gone now. Horford’s probably gone. I’m I’m I’m wondering how are you feeling about the Boston Celtics for this upcoming season? I think it’s a prime opportunity for Jaylen Brown to show what he’s made of. Absolutely. Because the brother can ball. We We don’t We I don’t think he’s appreciated enough either. But what are your thoughts about the Boston Celtics considering the myriad of changes that have taken place? Well, for one, this is like maybe the third time. I haven’t said I’m not playing this season. Okay. He was kind of looking at us sideways when we think that the most important thing is a full recovery being not rushing. Yeah. Don’t rush back at all. Don’t do that. But also, I I don’t go to rehab six days a week for nothing. Okay. But with that being said, with being a part of the organization and the Celtics, there is a standard that we that we play to that we uphold regardless of, you know, who we have in the lineup, who’s on the team, who’s not. There’s a sense of pride that we have when we put that uniform on and we always are competing to win a championship. Um, and that standard will not change. Appreciate you sharing with us your journey and your focus and all of that. You weren’t the only superstar. I’m just looking keep you weren’t the only superstar that went down with this injury like Tyresese Hallebertton went through it, Damen Lillard went through it. Have you communicated with those guys at all about this process and maybe returning next season or not returning next season? Yeah, I think uh no, 100% we have all been in communication. Dejante Murray is somebody Dame Tyrese that I’ve talked to throughout um and we just it all happened this season and we’re all at different points of our rehab and recovery. Um, so it’s less about like, yo, when are you coming back? I text Dame and and Dejante all the time because they’re ahead of me like, yo, like, you know, what are you doing now? What are your workouts looking like now? So, we’re all just all, you know, in the same boat just kind of checking up on each other and keeping it uh in touch. Um, you know, and it’s been very helpful. Let me go back to the Boston Celtics again, please. Uh, you know, before the injury took place, y’all shocked everybody because the Knicks won the first two games against y’all in that series. We didn’t see that coming. I mean, Jaylen Brunson won’t let me live it down. How I I had y’all taking them out in five initially. Okay. And then they shocked the world. They went up 200. How were y’all down 02 losing those first two games to the Knicks in the series? How’d that happen? you you still got to play the game and you got to give them credit. They play well, especially down the stretch. Jaylen made some incredible plays. Muel Bridges has some incredible plays on defense. Um, and we didn’t play well enough to win, right? You have to give the other team credit. We played well enough to win game three. Um, and game four, right? You know, it was a back and forth game. It was really good game. I think I got hurt. We might have been down seven or eight. Um, and I’ve played this in my head a thousand times. what hap what happens if I never got hurt. Um and I’ve wrestled with that. Um you know, we go home and they won game five and uh I’m not going to say what would have happened, but I just know I’ve been down 3-2. Mhm. On the road three times in my career and yes, I was three and0. I would have been very worried if you were healthy out of I would have been I would have been very very nervous. I’ve seen you when you dropped 46 on Milwaukee in a closer when y’all was about to be clear. I would have been very very nervous. I’ll be the first to admit that. Wait, I’mma give the Knicks credit. They beat us and they deserve you gave them credit. You gave him credit, so no problem. No problem. Having said that, I now scour the Eastern Conference. And here’s how I look at it. I hope you come back. I don’t want you to come back until you’re 100% healthy. Absolutely. Get 100% healthy, man. But I’m assuming it’s going to be hard for you to do that this season. So, I’m looking at Boston without you. Looking at Milwaukee without Dane. I’m looking at Indiana without Hallebertton. And now you move Miles Turner. Yeah. I see Orlando and they got, you know, they got they got, you know, Bane. I got that part. You know, I I can’t ignore Detroit and Cleveland. But I see this as a prime opportunity for the New York Knicks to take advantage of this opening here. It ain’t our fault. You know, you got interest. They got interest. It’s a prime opportunity. That’s part of the game. How are you looking at the Eastern Conference? What do you see when you look at your Boston Celtics and what they’re going to have to go up against this season? So, this would be going into my ninth year. I think everybody at the start of the season usually is feeling good about their team. It’s a fresh start. It’s a reset. Everybody’s zero zero. Um, new faces in new places. It’s hard to say like who’s going to be what. Like the games still have to be played. We have to see who’s who works well with each other who doesn’t, who stays healthy and all the things. Uh, so it’s still it’s too early to tell, but I love the guys that we have on our team. I love the core group that we still have that won a championship together with some new guys. We still got the best coach in the NBA. What What do you I I I like Missoula. No doubt about he’s a champion. We can’t take anything away from him. Um, but what are your expectations? Bless you. What are your expectations of what Jaylen is going to do this year without you? I think you look at any guy in a role, right? And then it usually happens throughout the season some nights that guys are out. Guys are expected or have more of an opportunity um with myself and and Al and KP and Drew, you know, you we lost a couple guys, right, that were key to our our offense or our team as as a whole. So, I expect JB to have a bigger role. I expect Derek White to have a bigger role. Sam Hower and Peyton and Baylor and all those guys, Nene, who’s going to be probably starting center for us. Um, I’m excited because I’ve seen those guys this summer work their tail off understanding the role that they’re going to be put in at least to start the season. Um, and I have the utmost faith in all those guys. Can I ask a question about your head coach, Joe Mazula, because I feel like he does like when he approaches the media, he has this kind of stance about him that I am certain is different than how he is in the locker room with you. Um, what kind of coach is he? What what is your relationship like with him? Uh, unbelievable coach. I one of the best humans I’ I’ve been around. Um, I love Joe to death and I think part of being a coach, right, you have to understand the game, X’s and O’s, manage the in-game adjustments and he’s great at that and our staff is great at that. What Joe excels is he really cares about his players. Um, and he he lets you know that every single day and that takes time and that takes trust and over, you know, over time you have to earn that. And Joe has done that with everybody in the organization. um that he really cares about us as a person, basketball. He’s a real one. He lets you know where he stands. If he doesn’t want to let you know, he tells you he doesn’t want to let you know. I love it. I love I I I wish more coaches had that kind of personality. Personally, I don’t mind him at all. But I got to ask this, and I don’t know if anybody’s ever asked you about this because when I think about you, when you were drafted, you were drafted third overall. For a lot of folks out there who don’t remember, you know, the the the the Boston Celtics had the third pick. Okay. Now they they had that they made a deal with Philadelphia. Philadelphia could have had Jason Tate and instead they passed up on him. He got hoodwinkedked. Kangelo got hoodwinkedked by Danny Age. Boston moved down and they led them to believe they had no intention of taking Jason Tatum when in fact they had every intention of taking Jason Tatum. And I everybody was thinking yeah that’s who you take. But Markeel Folultz ended up with the number one pick. So that was one mistake. And number two, the great Irvin Magic Johnson is the only argument we ever got into this day. That draft was when he drafted Lonzo Ball. And I was like, you draft Jason Tatum. And if you’re not going to draft Jason Tatum, you draft Dearron Fox because De’Aran Fox gave it to him in the NCAA tournament and he’s going to be better on the pro level even though I like Lonzo Ball. When you reflect on when you were drafted, I know you’re happy to be in Boston, New York, but do you ever think about the fact that you could have been a Laker, you could have been a Philadelphia 76ers, and you look at those organizations and you say, “You need to pay for passing on me.” Do you ever think about that at all? I would say earlier in my career, okay, uh Kobe Brown’s my favorite player. The Lakers were my favorite team growing up. you get so close to accomplishing your dream of being drafted and you see the Lakers have the second pick and you’re like, I might, you know, go to the Lakers is my favorite team, right? So, that that hurt a little bit. Um, just, you know, feeling like there was no consideration that they wanted to draft me. Um, not necessarily like I wanted to play for Philly. I wanted to be the number one pick. I felt like I was the best player. Um, so yeah, I I I was upset a little bit at first and not a grudge holder. I’m just wondering how you feel when you go against those two franchises like to remind everybody you could have had me. I mean, this is what you’re missing out on. That’s all I was asking. I played Philly three times in the playoffs. Yes, we won every time. I was just going to say he knows the record. Well, like you said, everything worked out and I’m glad I’m on the Celtics. Uh, real quick, keep the shoes. Jordan Tatum fours, okay, dropping next month or colors. All right. What size should you wear? What size shoe do you wear? Thank you. How you going to say you but to turn away from me like please? Thank you. I’ll make sure I got you. 13, man. Yeah. 13. I got some black and green ones coming. All right, Jason. We appreciate you. Thanks for hanging out. Let me get you. This is a great day. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause]

Boston Celtics superstar SF Jayson Tatum joins First Take to discuss his Achilles injury and potential return timeline, as Stephen A. Smith questions whether his absence will not only make him more appreciated as a player but also give the New York Knicks a better shot at winning the Eastern Conference.

0:00 Boston Celtics’ postseason timeline
0:45 Jayson Tatum talks Achilles injury
1:07 The “ups and downs” of recovery process
3:29 Tatum on his apparent lack of appreciation
5:08 Celtics’ outlook for upcoming season
6:36 Communication with Tyrese Haliburton & Damian Lillard
7:28 How did Celtics go down 0-2 to Knicks in ECSF?
9:51 Expectations for Eastern Conference & Jaylen Brown
11:29 Relationship with head coach Joe Mazzulla
12:22 Going No. 3 overall in NBA draft
14:39 Tatum 4’s signature shoe

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