The last time that Jayson Tatum played an NBA game, the Boston Celtics became the greatest basketball franchise of all-time.
Tatum paired with Jaylen Brown to defeat the Dallas Mavericks 4-1 in the Finals, leading the Celtics to their record 18th world championship.
GettyJayson Tatum is trying to go back-to-back with the Celtics[/caption]
That banner could be joined with a 19th if Boston repeats in 2024-25, which would end a 56-year wait since the Celtics went back-to-back.
With Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Al Horford and Payton Pritchard also returning, the relentless Joe Mazzulla-coached Celtics are again favored to win it all.
Oklahoma City, New York, Philadelphia, Dallas, Denver and Minnesota are next on the best bets list.
The Thunder are led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who ranked third in the NBA in average scoring (30.1) last season and has become one of the elite young stars in the league.
The Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards has been compared to a young Michael Jordan.
Meanwhile, Luka Doncic powered through injuries and fatigue last season to lead the Mavericks within three wins of a world title.
SGA, Edwards and Doncic are playing on combined contracts worth $638 million.
Edwards is the highest-paid among the three.
The former No. 1 overall pick from Georgia and star of Netflix’s Starting 5, along with LeBron James, is playing on a five-year designated rookie maximum contract extension that could become worth $260 million.
While Edwards, Doncic and SGA all fell short last season, the trio are all 26 or younger and set up to become the new faces of the NBA.
GettyAnthony Edwards is ready for the next step[/caption]
GettyLuka Doncic has already been to the Finals and is just touching his prime[/caption]
For the 26-year-old Tatum, winning it all with Boston in 2023-24 was a long time coming.
Like Brown, the No. 3 overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft was forced to overcome doubt, critics and trade rumors.
After painfully falling short in multiple playoff runs, Tatum recorded game highs in points (31) and assists (11) in the Game 5 title-clincher to deliver Boston its first NBA championship since the Big Four of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo won it all in 2008.
Tatum’s first world championship also allowed him to create a once-in a-lifetime moment with Deuce, and reflect on the power of fatherhood.
“It has taught me a sense of responsibility, as well as just making the right decisions,” Tatum said. “Knowing that there’s a 6-year-old mini me essentially watching everything that I do and knowing that I have to be the best version of myself. I have to make the right decisions, because he’s always watching.”
Playing through trade rumors and setbacks, Tatum and Brown remained united to help Boston surpass the Los Angeles Lakers for the most championship titles.
Tatum also honored Kobe Bryant, his childhood idol, by persevering through all the noise to win the Finals.
“It took being relentless,” Tatum said. “It took being on the other side of this and losing in the Finals and being at literally the lowest point in a basketball career that you could be, to next year, to the following year, thinking that was going to be the time, and come up short again.”
A season later, Boston is again the favorite.
Another world title would give the Celtics 19 banners, while ending a 56-year back-to-back spell.
But Doncic almost won it all last year, while Ant Man and SGA will be aiming for the peak of The Association in 2024-25.
