Jayson Tatum, in just 5 years of being in the NBA, has established himself as a superstar, and is now on the verge of playing on the biggest stage the league has to offer; the NBA Finals. Tatum is just 24 years old, but has already become one of the best players in the league, and has a chance to become an NBA champion.
One can’t imagine what this feeling must be like. But his mother’s reaction to the Eastern Conference Finals and Tatum winning gives us a glimpse into how it must have felt.
Jayson Tatum’s mother, Brandy Cole, spoke with NBC Sports Boston after the game, and reflected on the journey Tatum has embarked on, not just during this playoff run, but throughout his entire career.
She also joked that throughout Game 7 against the Miami Heat, she was so nervous that her Apple Watch went off because her heart rate was so high. Clearly, her heart rate settled when the final buzzer sounded:
"My Apple watch went off and told me my heart rate was going up."
Brandy Cole, @jaytatum0's Mom… we can RELATE 😂 pic.twitter.com/3tOrxfqEKo
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) May 30, 2022
“I’m at a loss for words. I’m so excited, so proud of him, it’s been a tough playoffs. We’ve had probably the toughest road I’ve ever seen to get to the Finals. But I’m just so proud of him, so happy for him, and this is something he has worked for his whole life. On to the next. He did the hard work. It’s exciting, I still get nerves. My Apple Watch went off and told me my heart rate was going up. It’s exciting, this is something he loves, and I love watching him do it.”
Jayson Tatum shared a heartfelt message with Boston Celtics fans after the game, noting that he dreamed of moments like this, to be able to play in an NBA Finals.
Clearly, Tatum is motivated to play in his first NBA Finals, and possibly help the Celtics retake their position as the most successful NBA franchise in history, a title they currently share with their rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers.
But the Celtics are quite outmatched when it comes to the Warriors, especially when it comes to NBA Finals experience. The Warriors players have a combined 123 games of NBA Finals experience compared to the Celtics’ 0 games.
