Jayson Tatum continues to impact Celtics even while sidelined

Boston Celtics

“He’s been there. He’s been like an extra coach, in a sense. So it’s been kind of cool to see.”

As the Celtics are 7-7 to begin the season, they are clearly missing their star, Jayson Tatum.

The 27-year-old forward will be out for at least most of the season after suffering an Achilles tear in the playoffs last year.

Since getting drafted out of Duke in 2017, Tatum has been a focal point of the Celtics offense. He averaged 26.8 points per game last season, and his consistency year-after-year has led to him becoming a leader on and off the court.

Now, with Tatum forced out, Boston has had to look elsewhere on offense. Jaylen Brown leads the way scoring 27.4 points per game thus far, as well as Payton Pritchard starting to do his part, scoring 30 against the Clippers on Nov. 16.

While Tatum can’t impact the game on the floor, this hasn’t stopped him from doing anything he can to help the team. His teammates have been impressed with the commitment and support he’s shown while injured.

“He’s been super active,” Brown told reporters on Nov. 15. “He’s been around, it’s been dope to see. He’s been engaged. He’s been on the majority of every flight, almost every film session. So that level of dedication, you can tell he’s eager to get back.”

Brown went on to compare Tatum with other players who’ve suffered long-term injuries, and has been appreciative of the way Tatum has approached his.

“A lot of guys that know they got an extended amount of time, they’re going to separate themselves mentally for a little bit or whatever,” Brown continued. “He’s been there. He’s been like an extra coach, in a sense. So it’s been kind of cool to see.”

Tatum’s advice has been valuable for the Celtics, as they have multiple young pieces with little NBA experience. Rookie Hugo Gonzalez and third-year Jordan Walsh have been taking feedback from Tatum as their roles increase, and know that listening will help them both this year and for their careers.

Along with helping the young guys, Tatum has been trying to coach veterans of the team as well, which Derrick White commented on.

“He’s just annoying me,” White joked to reporters when asked about Tatum’s role. “No, obviously a great basketball mind. So just there, supporting us, telling us what he sees, encouraging us, just a bunch of other things throughout the game. So it’s always great to have something like that.”

The Celtics are hoping Tatum’s coaching role will take a backseat and he’ll be return to the court before the season’s end, as he continues to recover.