Jayson Tatum is an ever-increasingly hungry hooper. At just 26, he aims for the gold, whether in the NBA or the Olympics. Securing the top spot is his sole focus. Yet JT’s journey hasn’t been easy. Despite these setbacks, his relentless drive to improve sets him apart- his hunger for success fuels his determination. At the Celtics’ Media Day, he shared a secret, saying, “Joe was probably the happiest person in the world that I didn’t win Finals MVP and that I didn’t play in two of the games in the Olympics.” It was hard to believe that the Celtics’ boss felt this way. Thankfully, Mazzulla had his reasons. Otherwise, who knows what drama could have unfolded?

Joe Mazzulla said he was “100%” happy about Jayson Tatum’s situation. He expressed strong support for the hooper, saying, “I think that comes off as love. I mean, that’s just the way that I love him. I appreciate that he accepts my perspective and the way that we go about talking about it.”

The Cs’ boss then further encouraged Jayson Tatum to reflect on his achievements, reminding him, “But at the end of the day he’s 26 and I just said, ‘Listen, you’ve accomplished so much in this league. Just take a step back and appreciate that. And then be grateful that you 10-12-14 years left… I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet.”

Besides, the forward is always willing to learn, so, “Sometimes when you get success you don’t have that next hunger right in front of you. Sometimes you got to wait for it… I just thought it was a gift. Doesn’t mean that he shouldn’t be pissed off about it… But as his coach and someone who really cares about him, I thought it was great that he’s got something to work towards,” Joe concluded.

Jayson Tatum won his first NBA Championship with the Boston Celtics, but he couldn’t snag the Finals MVP award from Jaylen Brown. Later, during the Paris Olympics, JT clinched his second Gold medal. However, he faced two DNP-CDs that sparked major debate. Analysts blamed his style of play and how the star just didn’t have a presence on the court at demanding times.

While many questioned Steve Kerr’s decision, considering the hooper’s impressive pedigree, some even understood the HC’s circumstance to not play JT. Well, Tatum might’ve known it this entire time, the reason that cost him his hitches in crucial moments.

Jayson Tatum is rigorously working on improving the release of his 3-pointers

“Did I need any motivation coming into the season? No,” Jayson Tatum cleared. From the start, the Olympic Gold medalist knew what was holding him back. While talking to The Athletic, he shared that he’s worked hard in the offseason to improve an important aspect- his jump shot. In the summer, JT reflected on his struggles. He attributed his poor shooting in the postseason and Olympics to being out of rhythm and the law of averages. He shot just 28.3% from deep during the playoffs and missed every jump shot in France.

However, Jayson Tatum seemed like a whole new person on Tuesday’s Media Day. He explained the “mechanical work” he had done during the break to get his shot back on track. The hooper claims he has made adjustments to his shooting technique.

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In viral training videos online, it also can be noticed that he changed his hand placement on the ball and focused on keeping his shoulders aligned forward, making the whole motion seem all the more efficient. “There (are) some things I could’ve fixed, but just in the midst of the playoffs trying to manage your rest and things like that, it’s a little tougher,” Tatum admitted.

“I was still playing well, just wasn’t shooting the ball as well as I would have liked. And obviously, we were winning, so it wasn’t the time or place to try to fix things at that moment,” Jayson Tatum said. We might just witness an even better JT in the 2024-25 NBA season. He was an already-lethal hooper on the court and now that x-factor might have increased exponentially.

But well, it’s hard to predict unless we see him play a game or two in preseason. Surely, Joe Mazzulla would be one of the happiest people to see his star boy learn from his mistakes and revise the same to become a better version of what he used to be.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.