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Jayson Tatum Cried While Holding His Son After Winning the NBA Championship

Stephen Douglas

Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) celebrates with head coach Joe Mazzulla after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in game five to win the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) celebrates with head coach Joe Mazzulla after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in game five to win the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Celtics won the 2024 NBA Finals with a 106-88 Game 5 victory over the Mavericks at home Monday night. Jayson Tatum led all players in scoring with 31 points to go along with 11 assists, eight rebounds and two steals. It was Tatum's best game of the series and it came in the clincher. As reality sunk it, Tatum was clearly overcome by emotion.

Tatum came out of the game late in the fourth quarter and hugged coach Joe Mazzulla. Then he congratulated his teammates before doubling over in tears. Tatum appeared to spend a few minutes crying tears of joy, culminating in moments with his son Deuce.

It's been a long time coming for Tatum, who was drafted by Boston with the third pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. He finished third in Rookie of the Year voting behind Ben Simmons and Donovan Mitchell. By his third season he was averaging 23.9 points and seven rebounds a game and found himself on MVP ballots. He's been First Team All-NBA for the last three years, but hadn't won a championship until now.

And by now I mean as a 26-year old in his seventh season. Can you imagine why he feels so much relief?

Because what can they say now.

Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics won a franchise-best 18th NBA title on Monday.
Boston fans! Click the photo or here to to order Sports Illustrated's NBA championship digital commemorative issue. / Elsa/Getty Images
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Stephen Douglas
STEPHEN DOUGLAS

Stephen Douglas is a Senior Writer on the Breaking & Trending News Team at Sports Illustrated. He has been in journalism and media since 2008, and now casts a wide net with coverage across all sports. Stephen spent more than a decade with The Big Lead and has previously written for Uproxx and The Sporting News. He has three children, two degrees and one now unverified Twitter account.

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