Career Timeline of Jayson Tatum: Major Achievements and Milestones
Discover the career path of Jayson Tatum, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Jayson Tatum is a prominent American professional basketball player currently with the Boston Celtics. A McDonald's All-American in high school, he played college basketball at Duke University before being drafted third overall by the Celtics in 2017. Tatum was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2018. He earned the inaugural NBA Eastern Conference Finals MVP award in 2022, and secured his first NBA championship title in the 2024 NBA Finals, solidifying his status as a key player for the Celtics.
2015: AAU and EYBL Circuit Success
In 2015, Jayson Tatum joined the St. Louis Eagles AAU team and competed in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) Circuit, leading in scoring with 26.5 points per game. His team reached the Nike Peach Jam championship game.
2016: Played at the Nike Hoop Summit
In 2016, Jayson Tatum represented Team USA at the Nike Hoop Summit, contributing 14 points, four rebounds, and two assists in nearly 17 minutes of play.
2016: Duke Blue Devils
In 2016-17 Jayson Tatum played his freshman season for Duke, averaging 16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.3 steals per game and being named to the ACC All-Freshman team and a third-team All-ACC selection.
January 4, 2017: Victory over Georgia Tech
On January 4, 2017, Jayson Tatum scored 19 points in a 110-57 victory over Georgia Tech.
October 17, 2017: NBA Debut
On October 17, 2017, Jayson Tatum recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds in his NBA debut as the team's starting power forward.
December 2017: Rookie of the Month
In December 2017, Jayson Tatum was named the Eastern Conference's Rookie of the Month.
2017: Enters NBA Draft
At the end of his freshman season, Tatum opted to enter the 2017 NBA draft as a one-and-done, where he was projected as a first-round selection.
2017: Traded to Celtics
In 2017, Danny Ainge traded the team's No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft to the Philadelphia 76ers for the third overall pick, which the Celtics used to select Jayson Tatum.
2017: Became Spokesperson for Imo's Pizza
In 2017, Jayson Tatum became a spokesperson for Imo's Pizza.
April 15, 2018: Playoff Debut
On April 15, 2018, in Game 1 of the first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks, Jayson Tatum recorded a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, marking his playoff debut.
May 22, 2018: NBA All-Rookie First Team Selection
On May 22, 2018, Jayson Tatum was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team (First Team).
October 16, 2018: Season-Opening Victory
On October 16, 2018, during the season-opening 105–87 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, Jayson Tatum recorded 23 points, nine rebounds, and three assists.
2018: NBA All-Rookie First Team
In the 2018 season, Jayson Tatum was voted to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
February 5, 2019: Victory Over Cleveland Cavaliers
On February 5, 2019, Jayson Tatum recorded 25 points and seven rebounds in a 103–96 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
June 21, 2019: Signed with Jordan Brand
On June 21, 2019, Jayson Tatum signed an endorsement deal with the Jordan Brand.
December 22, 2019: Career-High 39 Points
On December 22, 2019, Jayson Tatum recorded a then career-high 39 points, along with 12 rebounds, in a 119–93 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.
January 11, 2020: Career-High 41 Points
On January 11, 2020, Jayson Tatum scored a then career-high 41 points against the New Orleans Pelicans in a 140–105 victory.
November 22, 2020: Rookie Max Extension
On November 22, 2020, Jayson Tatum and the Celtics agreed to a rookie maximum extension of five years, worth $195 million.
December 23, 2020: Game Winning Shot
On December 23, 2020, Tatum totaled 30 points and seven rebounds, alongside a game-winning three-pointer.
2020: Olympic Gold Medal
In 2020, Jayson Tatum won a gold medal with the U.S. Olympic team.
2020: Named to the Olympic Team
In 2020, Tatum was selected to represent the United States in the Olympics.
2020: Eastern Conference Finals Appearance
In the 2020 NBA playoffs, the Celtics advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second time in Jayson Tatum's career, but were eliminated by the Miami Heat.
2020: 50+ Points
Tatum and Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls became the second pair of players in the 2020–21 season to score 50+ points on the same day.
January 3, 2021: Career High Assist
On January 3, 2021, he had 24 points and a career-high 12 assists and made another game-winning shot in a narrow 122–120 victory over the Detroit Pistons.
October 25, 2021: Tatum leads Celtics to first win
On October 25, 2021, Jayson Tatum scored 41 points, along with seven rebounds and eight assists, in an overtime victory against the Charlotte Hornets, leading the Celtics to their first win of the season.
2021: Won Olympic Gold Medal
In 2021, Jayson Tatum helped Team USA secure the gold medal at the Olympics, where he averaged 15.2 points per game.
January 23, 2022: Tatum scores season-high 51 points
On January 23, 2022, Jayson Tatum scored a season-high 51 points, along with 10 rebounds, seven assists, and a career-high nine three-pointers in a victory against the Washington Wizards.
2022: NBA Eastern Conference Finals MVP
In 2022, Jayson Tatum won the inaugural NBA Eastern Conference Finals MVP.
November 4, 2023: Tatum reaches 10,000 career points
On November 4, 2023, Jayson Tatum became the youngest Celtic to reach 10,000 career points, recording 32 points and 11 rebounds in a victory against the Brooklyn Nets.
2023: Received First Signature Silhouette, Jordan Tatum 1
In 2023, Jayson Tatum received his own signature shoe, the Jordan Tatum 1.
January 25, 2024: Tatum named All-Star starter
On January 25, 2024, Jayson Tatum was named an Eastern Conference starter for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, marking his fifth consecutive selection and second consecutive selection as a starter.
February 13, 2024: Tatum scores 41 points against Nets
On February 13, 2024, Jayson Tatum scored 41 points, 31 of them in the first half against the Brooklyn Nets, alongside 14 rebounds, five assists, and five three-pointers. He joined Larry Bird as the only Celtics in franchise history to record at least 25 40-point games.
February 2024: Partnered with SoFi to Help People Buy Homes
In February 2024, Jayson Tatum partnered with SoFi to help people buy homes in St. Louis, with SoFi donating $1 million to his foundation. He also discussed their efforts to boost home ownership and financial literacy on CBS News in February 2024.
July 1, 2024: Tatum signs record-breaking contract extension
On July 1, 2024, Jayson Tatum signed a five-year contract extension potentially worth up to $314 million, becoming the richest deal in NBA history, surpassing his teammate Jaylen Brown's extension.
July 2024: Named Cover Athlete for NBA 2K25
In July 2024, Jayson Tatum was announced as the cover athlete for the video game NBA 2K25.
November 16, 2024: Tatum hits game-winning shot against Raptors
On November 16, 2024, Jayson Tatum recorded 24 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists, hitting a buzzer-beating, game-winning three-pointer in an overtime win against the Toronto Raptors.
2024: NBA All-Star and All-NBA Selection, Championship and Olympic Gold
In 2024, Jayson Tatum was a six-time NBA All-Star and four-time All-NBA selection, he led the team to a league-best 64 wins and a championship in the NBA Finals, and he won a gold medal with the U.S. Olympic team.
2024: Named to 2024 Olympic Team
In 2024, Jayson Tatum was selected for the Olympic team and won the gold medal in a rematch against France.
2024: NBA Finals Championship
In 2024, Jayson Tatum won his first NBA title in the NBA Finals.
January 25, 2025: Tatum selected as All-Star starter
On January 25, 2025, Jayson Tatum was named an Eastern Conference starter for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game, marking his sixth consecutive selection and his third selection in a row as a starter.
