Jayson Tatum: If I were with the Memphis Grizzlies, I’d already have a statue in front of the arena

Tatum on the pressure of wearing a Celtics jersey

On a recent podcast appearance, Jayson Tatum — who is currently rehabbing from a serious Achilles injury — talked about the unique pressure that comes with playing for the Boston Celtics. At just 27 he’s already stacked up individual honors and helped his team win at the highest level, but being part of a franchise with such a storied past means constant comparisons to the greats who came before.

Tatum pointed out that many former Celtics players are remembered first for championships, and that expectation changes how his career is viewed. He suggested that if his accomplishments had unfolded with a smaller-market team, they might be celebrated differently — even to the point of being immortalized with a statue.

Why championships shape the narrative

The Celtics’ history is filled with Hall of Famers and multiple-title players, so the bar for being considered a true legend there is very high. Tatum himself already has an NBA championship from 2024, but he said he feels the pressure of trying to measure up to names like Larry Bird, Bill Russell and other franchise icons.

Comments like Tatum’s can land differently depending on where you stand — some fans might take offense, others see it as an honest snapshot of how legacy and context affect a player’s reputation. Either way, his point underlines how team history and expectations shape how careers are remembered.

For now, the focus remains on Tatum’s recovery and the next chapters of his career — whenever he returns, those debates about legacy and comparisons will pick right back up.