The Celtics came close to never having star player Jayson Tatum. That’s why

It’s no secret that Jayson Tatum is one of the most popular athletes in Boston right now.

A five-time NBA All-Star, Olympic gold medalist and, of course, NBA champion, Tatum has earned his star status among the city’s many sports greats.

But did you know that Boston Celtics There was almost never a key player? IN latest episode of the Club 520 podcast Along with former Celtics teammate Jeff Teague, Tatum revealed that he wanted to move to another team after being initially drafted.

Why did he stay? The city of Boston should thank Agent Tatum.

Why did Tatum almost leave the Celtics?

Tatum was first drafted by the Boston Celtics at age 19 in the 2017 NBA Draft. Despite being the third overall pick, Tatum explained on the podcast that he had some doubts about his rookie pick.

A big fan of Kobe Bryant, Tatum said it was his dream to play for the Lakers, noting that it was “kind of devastating” to not be considered by the Los Angeles team that targeted him. point guard Lonzo Ball.

Tatum walked further, looking into Phoenix Suns before eventually landing in Boston. Once he got there, however, he became concerned about playing time. Gordon Hayward, a small forward like Tatum, signed a four-year, $128 million contract that same year. Tatum’s first reaction was to abandon ship.

“I called my agent and said, ‘Hey, I need to be traded,’” he said on Teague’s podcast. “I’m trying to play. I wasn’t called up to come off the bench and not start.”

Luckily, Tatum’s agent told him to relax, saying the Celtics were a “great organization” that would teach him how to “play the game the right way,” and Tatum listened.

“The rest was history, and it all worked out,” Tatum reflected, “and it really did work.” Eight seasons later, Tatum just signed the largest contract in NBA history, a five-year extension worth $314 million.

This article originally appeared in The Patriot Ledger: Why Jayson Tatum almost asked for a trade from the Boston Celtics