Jayson Tatum has had to deal with plenty of outside noise throughout his seven-year career, but now he can soak in the moment of winning his first NBA championship with the Boston Celtics.
After the 106-88 win against the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 at TD Garden, Tatum said all the criticism was worth it.
"These last seven years have been a roller coaster. Up and down," Tatum told reporters. "I had to listen to all the s--t that people said about me, and tonight it was worth it. Oh my God ... This is at the top of the mountain."
Tatum was arguably the best player on the best team all season, and now he's achieved basketball immortality by winning the Finals. He averaged 22.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game against the Mavericks, closing things out with a 31-point performance in Game 5.
It's been a long journey for Tatum since he was drafted in 2017. He's been to the Eastern Conference Finals five times and the Finals twice, and now he has a championship to show for it.
Tatum is only 26 years old and clearly far from the end of his prime, so it won't be a surprise to see him "at the top of the mountain" again soon.
