Jayson Tatum gets candid on his Larry Bird motivation

The young Celtics star spoke about his reverence for Bird in a conversation with NBC Sports Boston.

“The thing that fuels me is like Larry Bird’s the best player ever [to] wear [a] Celtic uniform. And, you know, that’s the guy that… whether it’s averaging 30 that one season or having a 60 point in one game, like tying his record, like sometimes just being in the same conversation with him as far as records and things like that go. And, you know, you should strive to be the best. He’s the best Celtic of all time. Even if I fall short of that. little bit you had a hell of a career.”

Bird had a decorated career for the Celtics, playing with the organization his whole career. He won three NBA Championships with the team where he also was a three-time NBA MVP and two-time Finals MVP. The Celtics, already a storied franchise due to their success with Bob Cousy and Bill Russell in the 1960’s, further built their championship foundation with the Big Three of Bird, forward Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. They also boasted tremendous depth on their contending teams with players such as Bill Walton, Dennis Johnson, and Danny Ainge providing support as they competed in the 1980’s.

Tatum led the Celtics to a historic season that culminated in an NBA Finals victory over the Dallas Mavericks in June. In the 2023-2024 season, Tatum averaged 26.9 points per game, 8.1 rebounds per game, and 4.1 assists per game. Tatumn’s next goal is certainly to lead Boston back to the NBA Finals and win another championship to further cement his legacy in the pantheon of Celtics greats.

The Celtics start their title defense against the New York Knicks on October 22nd at 7:30 PM EST.