Tatum shooting to help others
Helping to feed people in St. Louis and Boston
By Jayson Tatum’s estimation, he has now gone without shooting a basketball longer than at any time since he was able to seriously take on a 10-foot hoop.
The COVID-19 shutdown of the NBA and most other aspects of his life will mark its fourth full week since last the Celtics played. Prior to this, Tatum said on a Monday conference call, he’d gone maybe two or three weeks following a season without firing away. “You know, let my body rest,” he said.
But that was by choice. This is by critical necessity, though Tatum said it would be a lot easier if he had a gym built into his home. (Maybe next contract.)
“Yeah, this is the first time that’s ever happened,” he said of the forced sabbatical. “I mean, it’s a new experience, and I’m not alone. There’s a lot of other guys that are going through the same thing, so we’re all just trying to figure it out.”
But the third-year wunderkind gets the larger picture — one in which he’s helping to fill a void with meals program donations (more on that later).
“I mean, it’s tough,” he said. “Everybody wants to be playing. But everybody understands that there’s more important things going on right now. So whatever happens with the season, I’m sure they’ll make the right decision and what’s in the best interest of making sure that everybody’s safe and healthy first. Just figuring this thing out first is more important, and everything else will take care of itself.”
You might think this would be wearing a little harder on Tatum, considering the suspension of the season interrupted his ascendancy. An All-Star for the first time, he’d averaged 30.8 points over his last 10 games after scoring at a 22.1 clip over his first 49, with his 3-point shooting going from 37.8 to 47.1%.
“No, I’m not really thinking about that,” he said. “Obviously I love the game and would love to be out there playing, and hopefully, you know, this season or next season we’ll be able to get back out there. But the health and safety of everybody is more important, and I understand that, so I’m not upset or anything. It’s just unfortunate, but we will get through it.”
Tatum is getting through now with a stationary bike, jump rope and some weights. “It’s not as lavish as the practice facility, but you make do with what you’ve got and make the most out of it,” he said.
And like everyone else, he’s been watching quite a bit of television.
“I got a lot of free time, and I watched the entire 2010 Game 7 when the Lakers
played the Celtics,” he said of the game in which the Celts squandered a lead and the championship. “I think that might have been the first time I watched it since I watched it live. That was 10 years ago, so I was like 12 or 11. I remember exactly where I was at when I watched that game in 2010.
“When I watched it in 2010 I didn’t really understand it all. I just knew that the last time they played, Kobe lost in ’08, so I wanted Kobe to win to get revenge. But now rewatching it obviously understanding that Kobe’s no longer with us and just to see all those guys that were on that team, I forgot how low-scoring of a game it was (83-79), how every possession was tough, and guys looked like they were exhausted. I just kind of look at it differently know with my understanding that NBA basketball is different. It was a different view watching the game, things like that.”
Tatum’s “different view” extends beyond the court, as well. He and hometown friend Bradley Beal of the Wizards are combining to match $250,000 in donations to feed people in difficult situations back in St. Louis. Tatum, through his foundation, will do the same for those in the Boston area.
He applauded NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “Being the first league to take a break or be suspended for the time being was the right decision,” Tatum said. “And just as professional athletes us using our platform, using our voice to speak out. We can reach so many people around the world though social media and things like that. Just sending out a positive message and encouraging people, everybody, to do their part and being able to get through this together is I think the role that we have.”