Jayson Tatum Reacts to Celtics HC Planning for Next Year: ‘F–k That. We Just Won’

Andrew PetersJuly 9, 2024

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NBA fans who keep up with the Boston Celtics know that head coach Joe Mazzulla lives and breaths basketball, and the newly crowned champion is apparently already scheming a game plan for next season.

Star forward Jayson Tatum wants his coach to enjoy the offseason and celebrate the championship rather than diving straight into next season, though.

“Joe is already trying to draw up s–t for next season,” Tatum said, per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “And I was like, ‘Joe, f–k that. We just won a championship. Enjoy it. Relax.’

“Like, I’m not worried about any sets that he’s trying to put in right now. We had a laugh about it, because he’s just so driven — which we all are, but it’s like, man, we worked so hard for this. So we got to enjoy it.”

But Mazzulla’s determination led Boston to its first title since 2008 last season, and it seems the second-year head coach is already figuring out how he will bring another Larry O’Brien Trophy to the city.

Mazzulla will have to wait a while before he can discuss game plans with Tatum, as he is in Las Vegas preparing for the Olympics with Team USA. Tatum, who put up 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game last year, will be competing in his second Olympics when he travels to Paris at the end of July.

At the Toyko Olympics in 2021, Tatum helped lead Team USA to a gold medal behind his 15.2 points per game.

When he returns from Paris in August, he can likely expect to have a new playbook drawn up by Mazzulla waiting for him.