Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum has accomplished a lot in his NBA career. From winning a title in 2024 to earning six All-Star nods in the last six years, the St. Louis native has arguably put together a Hall of Fame career already. But, could he still take another step in his game?
First-year Celtic Mike Conley seems to think so. And he might be the perfect person to opine on the subject, as Conley turns 39 years old in a few weeks (he's almost a year older than Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla) and has witnessed a lot of winning basketball in his time. The veteran point guard spoke highly of his new teammate during Celtics training camp at the Auerbach Center.
"From the outside looking in, I always thought he was one of the best players
in the league," Conley praised on Wednesday morning, via Justin Turpin of WEEI. "Getting to know him now, he’s a guy I feel like is really coming into his own as a leader. A guy that’s ready to make a jump, I think, after the last couple years of injury and things like that."
With former Celtics star Jaylen Brown now a part of the Philadelphia 76ers following a blockbuster summer trade, Boston is relying on Tatum more than ever. The C's built a solid roster around the talented forward, yet they still might only go as far as Tatum takes them.
"He has a lot to prove, and he’s out there trying to prove it," Conley continued. "So, I'm excited for him and his growth."
Although Tatum isn't even two years removed from rupturing his Achilles, he did just enjoy one of the longest offseasons of his basketball life. The extended summer allowed Tatum ample time to take care of his body and prepare for an uptick in minutes and usage.
"I feel great," Tatum said during Media Day on Monday. "I feel great having this offseason to get stronger, get more explosive. We're just working my body in totality. So, obviously, I feel much better than I did this time last year, and I'm excited and thankful for that."
The summer of golf continues for the Celtics, as Jayson Tatum & Mike Conley hit the links together in Weston 🏌️♂️
— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) September 7, 2026
(Via @jaytatum0 on IG) pic.twitter.com/13VA9kz5du
As for Conley, who's approaching his twentieth year in the Association, he plans on providing Tatum with support in the locker room and on the court. The rest of the Celtics know the pecking order, and they're eager to bolster their go-to guy in anticipation of an improved Eastern Conference.
"I'm just going to try to help him as best I can," Conley stated.
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Mike Conley shares high expectations for Celtics star Jayson Tatum
