Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
Jayson Tatum Makes a Major Announcement
In an appearance on the Knuckleheads Podcast with Quentin Richardson and fellow St. Louis native Darius Miles, which got recorded in the offseason but aired this week, Jayson Tatum revealed that he has a signature shoe coming out.
Tatum wasn't able to provide a release date for when his signature kicks will hit the market, but he did say they're "on the way."
The two-time All-Star and 2019-20 All-NBA selection signed with Jordan Brand in 2019 and has since donned Air Jordans with custom themes ranging from the Zoo to honor his son Deuce's love of animals and an Air Jordan 35 rendition inspired by his mother that salutes women in power. From time to time, Tatum also wears a pair made with one of his favorite foods in mind, tacos.
Tatum discussed how surreal it is to see the ideas he comes up with "come to life," and he described working with the Jordan Brand as a "hell of a feeling."
The podcast covered a wide range of topics, including Tatum's on-court partnership with fellow All-Star wing Jaylen Brown.
"I know where I'm trying to get to; he know where he's trying to get to, and we trying to figure (it) out together, but in a way, we pushing each other. It's been times where he done something in a game, and I'm thinking like, damn, I need, like I'm trying to do that. And there's been things I did where he done told me...everything we do, we compete, in a good way. I'm pushing him, we playing 1-1 after practice...I think the next step for us is, like, even feeding off each other more in a game."
Tatum went on to say he couldn't have been happier when Brown, whose abilities as a shooter and ball-handler got heavily questioned when he entered the league, earned his first All-Star selection last season.
Regarding himself and Brown, the current cornerstones of the Boston Celtics franchise, Tatum also said that: "Especially going into this season, you know, people talked about all the trades that other teams made and what we goin' do. I think you know honestly me and him kinda take the same approach; like I'm getting better and he gettin' better. It's not like we stayin' the same. We two of the hungriest players in the league. We still trying to get there."
When asked what he thinks about first-year head coach Ime Udoka, who Miles and Richardson both played with, Tatum said: "I think the world of him. I'm excited, and especially that, when an assistant coach first get they head coaching job, they hungry...He called me all the...he FaceTimed me all the time. Like he sends me stats. I can tell, like, he excited, and you know, as a player, that's what you want, like somebody that's excited and ready for the season...I'm excited for the new start."
Tatum also discussed having multiple 50-point games last season, including in the play-in tournament against the Washington Wizards and then in the playoffs against the Brooklyn Nets, and even scoring 60 points in a win over the San Antonio Spurs.
"I've always had the mentality if you do something once, you can do it again. So once you get over that hump, when I scored 53 against (the) Minnesota (Timberwolves), like you figure it out, like alright, I'll get to the line like 15-17 times, you get your rhythm, you get some easy layups, back cut; now, the rim big, you coming off step-ups, you shooting side-step threes...I know I can score 50, so I know I can do it again, I know I can score 60, so I know I can do it again. Like, that's just the mindset I have. Like, once you do something once, you can do it again."
After a slow start scoring-wise, Tatum, whose all-around game continues to grow, has produced at least 30 points in seven of the Celtics' last 12 games. Consistently implementing his advice to take double-digit free-throw attempts and generate points off of cuts, such as going backdoor, is an effective way to make scoring 30 points the norm for himself, even if it doesn't typically translate to 50+-points. Not only is that approach best for Tatum, but it would also help the Celtics find consistency and play at their best.
The conversation between Tatum, Miles, and Richardson hit on a number of other intriguing topics, including Mike Krzyzewski, winning a gold medal at the Olympics, signing a max contract and Tatum's first big purchase, his recovery from Covid-19, playing in the bubble, superstitions, motivations, Kemba Walker, Tatum's endorsement deals, and of course, St. Louis.
You can check out Tatum's appearance on the Knuckleheads Podcast here: Jayson Tatum Swings By Knuckleheads Podcast
