Celts’ Tatum all smiles
No. 3 pick excited to play for Stevens
NEW YORK — The outer hallway that rings the arena floor at Barclays Center is about 12 feet wide, maybe a little bit more. Yet Jayson Tatum, even at a slender 6-foot-8, managed an amazing feat.
His smile somehow seemed to graze both walls as he strode toward his third or fourth interview in the 15 minutes since he’d been drafted No. 3 overall by the Celtics last night.
The steps kept rhythm as he spoke about being so happy he thought he was going to cry. Glad that he didn’t, Tatum added, “I guess I’m saving it for later.”
Back when he was following Kobe Bryant’s every move and was, thus, a Lakers fan, Boston might not have been his desired destination. But with the way this draft was shaking out, it certainly is now. The feeling is shared by his Duke coach, Mike Krzyzewski, who is pleased to hand off the Tatum teaching to the leader of the Butler crew he and the Blue Devils defeated in the 2010 national championship game.
“Coach K talked to me. . . . We talked a lot during this process, but I think it was like right after (the Celtics) traded the pick,” Tatum said. “He called me and talked about that Boston wanted me to come up there for a workout, and he was just ranting about how great of a person Brad Stevens is, and that Coach K would love the opportunity if they would pick me, and he really wanted me to go up there and work out for them.
“I was all for it. It worked out. I had a great time up there on my visit, and obviously they enjoyed me.”
Later, after another stop on the NBA post-draft assembly line, Tatum expanded on the Krzyzewski endorsement of Stevens.
“(Coach K said) how great of a coach he was and how he really admired him since was a young coach,” Tatum said. “And he thinks he’s a terrific person on and off the court and he would love me to play for him. And it worked out.”
The player Danny Ainge felt comfortable enough to surrender the first overall pick to get talked Wednesday about being anxious with all the uncertainty. Tatum was uncomfortable with all the hoopla and no hoop.
And, while reports since the trade with Philadelphia had the Celtics choosing between Tatum and Josh Jackson at 3, the former still was in the dark until some of the bright lights began shining on him as he sat at his table on the Barclays floor, a spot that will be near the visitors bench when the Celts next come here to meet the Nets, the benefactors of this pick.
“I had no clue,” Tatum said. “The only indication I had was right before (NBA commissioner Adam Silver) called my name. All the cameras came to my table, so I was like this is a pretty good sign.”
Then the emotions flowed, albeit with no tears.
“Oh man, it was the best feeling I’ve ever had in my young life, and I’m only 19,” Tatum said. “It was the day I’ve always . . . the moment I’ve always been dreaming about and waiting for. It was as special as I could have imagined and that much more.”
He hugged his mom. He hugged his father. He hugged his sister and both his grandmothers and his agent.
Tatum had it together enough to deliver an opening statement in the group interview.
“This has been a great night,” he said, the green Celtics hat standing out against his more classic dark suit. “It’s been a dream come true, you know, just making it to the NBA and being drafted by a great franchise like Boston. I’m excited just to bring a lot of versatility and just accepting my new role and just trying to be the best at whatever coach Stevens wants me to be.”
A few minutes later, he had followed Lonzo Ball into the Tissot watch gifting room and was putting on his new timepiece with a green and white band. He checked some text messages. How many? “Too many,” he said. Stopping for an impromptu session, he exhaled a bit. This was after he’d been in the social media room and before he went into the video car wash that is the live shot room.
“It feels great just finally knowing where I’m going and have some place to call home,” Tatum said. “And I’m glad it’s Boston.”
As for joining a semiestablished team and not what’s usually found this high in the lottery, he said, “They’re a very good team. They’re a great team. I mean, they weren’t No. 1 seed in the East for no reason. It shows how good of a team they are, and I’m happy to be joining them.”
And he’s looking forward to proving he’s worthy of the lofty place in the draft and showing, too, that he’s a better defender than what’s being portrayed on Twitter.
“Got to prove ’em wrong,” Tatum said.
With several stops behind him and several more to go down here on the lower level of this Brooklyn palace, he was told by a reporter that after this, the games are a piece of cake.
Tatum smiled again in the hallway, and this time it was accompanied by a laugh.