Jayson Tatum didn’t know who one Celtics legend was as a rookie

Jayson Tatum has come a long way since his rookie season with the Celtics in 2017-18. 

Beyond his growth on the court into one of the top-five players in the NBA, the 26-year-old forward admitted on Sunday that he’s made major strides in terms of understanding the storied history of the Celtics. 

Growing up in St. Louis, Tatum wasn’t exactly privy to the ins and outs of Celtics lore. 

“I had no idea who Cedric Maxwell was. I thought he was just like a radio guy, Tatum said. “I didn’t know that he played on the team, and he won Finals MVP.

“So there were just different instances throughout the season in my rookie year where I would learn about different people that played an intricate part in this organization — the history throughout the Celtics and what the Celtics mean to the game of basketball. You just grow a level of appreciation through your time here.” 

Maxwell, who won Finals MVP in 1981 and captured another title with Boston in 1984, saw his No. 31 jersey raised to the TD Garden rafters in 2003. He has been calling Celtics games on the radio alongside Sean Grande since 2001. 

Much like Jaylen Brown, Tatum spent a solid portion of Sunday’s press conference reflecting on his growth in Boston and how he’s been embraced in this city, especially with the Celtics now just one win away from an 18th championship. 

Expectations are always high in a city like Boston. But Tatum stressed that the current environment facing him and his teammates is far from a negative, especially within this market. 

“I don’t look at it as pressure. I do notice, especially this time of the season, playoff time and obviously being in the Finals for the second time,” Tatum said. “When you drive around and go to the gas station, or I wanted to go get some ice cream yesterday, it’s Celtics gear everywhere and everybody is super excited about this team and what we have accomplished and what we have the chance to accomplish.

“You really just feel the love and support from everybody in the city of Boston, and how bad they want us to win, how much they have been cheering for us. So I don’t look at it as pressure. Just unconditional support, and that we have an amazing fan base here.”