Boston Celtics’ Head Coach Explains the Reason Behind the Rapid Development of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown

The Boston Celtics recently signed Jayson Tatum to a max contract worth $195 million, including incentives. This signing is a direct indication that the franchise wants Tatum to lead the team from the front for the coming seasons.

Ever since he entered the league, Tatum has improved his game each season and has established himself as one of the best young players in the league. Celtics coach Brad Stevens talked about Tatum’s development in the “Ryan and Goodman” podcast. He said:

“I think we have been really fortunate that, we had those two high draft picks in Jayson [Tatum] and Jaylen [Brown]. They joined teams that were really competitive right from the get-go. And they were asked to play big roles and again adding value to winning, that’s hard.

“When you are drafted that high, usually you’re drafted into a situation where they are building towards that down the road. I think a big part of their growth has been responsibility that they have to play with.”

This season, the Celtics made it to the Eastern Conference Finals and gave tough competition to the Heat. However, they couldn’t close out games during the final minutes, which indeed cost them the series.

“When you are drafted into here and you already have the tradition and history of the Celtics. The expectation of this area, in addition to being drafted into a good team, that is competitive…

“I think that has added to their game and then they just are great workers. They really get after it. They’re great competitors. They’re team guys.”

But in the last few seasons, the Celtics have consistently showed up in both the regular season and the playoffs. So it’s just a matter of time before they have a shot at winning it all.

What’s next for the Boston Celtics?

Heading towards the 2020-21 NBA season, the Celtics must have a goal to make it all the way to the finals. Moreover, they have the perfect pieces to do so, with Tatum, Brown, and Walker, who are sort of a big-3 for the team.

Add defensive anchor Marcus Smart to the list, they can achieve great heights. The only aspect that they probably lacked was playoff experience. However, with the 2020 postseason in their books, they have erased that flaw as well.

Considering the team hierarchy in the East, the Celtics reside in the top tier and have great odds to make it all the way to the NBA Finals this season.