The Boston Celtics own 18 NBA titles. A team with such history and legacy has produced not one but endless legends that shaped the league itself. Therefore, anyone who plays for that iconic green jersey and the shamrock logo feels the pressure to live up to the legacy. Jayson Tatum best described the scenario. In doing so, he also appeared to diminish the Memphis Grizzlies’ legacy and Ja Morant’s. Was that intentional?

Tatum shared that franchise legends like Rajon Rondo, Kevin Garnett, and others often return to remind the locker room what greatness looks like, especially those also tied to the 1986 title, which set the bar. Each of them owns at least a ring, so the message lands that much harder, fueling pride and accountability.

Now, a one-time NBA champion himself, Tatum said on the Pivot Podcast, “As you strive to be a great player, it’s like if the career I had right now, if I had it with the Grizzlies, I would have a statue outside the arena.”

In case you were wondering, players like Zach Randolph, Tony Allen, Marc Gasol, and Mike Conley are beloved for their impact on the city and will be remembered for a long time, but the Grizzlies haven’t built a statue of any player or head coach yet. The franchise has done jersey retirements, though.

Compared to the Boston Celtics‘ 18 championship banners, the Grizzlies’ trophy cabinet is empty. Ja Morant has never reached the NBA Finals across seven seasons despite four playoff appearances. Meanwhile, Tatum experienced losing in the Conference Finals in his third season. He also lost the 2022 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, but ultimately won the championship in 2024.

Tatum framed legacy as the real opponent in Boston. Therefore, chasing Larry Bird means meeting a championship-driven standard.

“Bill Russell, John Havlicek, and Kevin McHale like they all won a championship, you don’t want to be remembered as that guy or that team that never got it done,” Tatum said.

Tatum has been out of basketball action for eight months since his ACL injury in May 2025. Amidst the legacy conversation, the 27-year-old forward also shared an emotional confession.

Retirement was on the table for Jayson Tatum after the ACL injury

Jayson Tatum revealed that one of his immediate concerns after the injury was whether it could end his career.

“Sitting in that doctor’s office, and seeing the doctor put that MRI scan and seeing that line through my tendon, I just remember sitting there and I broke down crying,” Tatum shared. “I remember saying like, ‘Man, I can’t do this.’ Because I just knew how hard it was going to be, and I felt like this was the best version of Jayson Tatum he has ever been, and now it’s like, ‘Damn, I got to start over,’ and I remember saying, ‘I can’t do this.'”

At present, the Boston Celtics are the second seed in the East with a 29-17 record. The voices in the league believed they would tumble without Tatum. However, Joe Mazzulla and Jaylen Brown silenced all the noise, overcoming a really poor start to the season.

Meanwhile, Tatum, despite the front office’s caution, has been adamant about making a comeback this season. He has continued working out, and his demeanor feels optimistic.

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One thing is for sure: whenever Tatum graces the floor, he will be championship-ready almost instantly.