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 an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Boston Celtics in the NBA. A McDonald's All-American in high school, he played college basketball for Duke before being drafted third overall by the Celtics in 2017. He earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors in 2018. Tatum was named the inaugural NBA Eastern Conference finals MVP in 2022. He won his first NBA title in the 2024 NBA Finals with the Celtics.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1980: First Celtics Rookie to score 25+ in Playoff game since Larry Bird

In 1980, Larry Bird was the last Celtics rookie to score 25 or more points in a playoff game. Jayson Tatum equaled this record.

1999: Youngest Player with 20+ Points in Playoff Games

In 1999, Kobe Bryant was the youngest player to score at least 20 points in four straight playoff games until Tatum surpassed this record.

2013: Metro Catholic Conference Co-Player of the Year

In 2013, as a freshman, Jayson Tatum averaged 13.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game and was named 2013 Metro Catholic Conference (MCC) Co-Player of the Year, leading the Red Devils to both MCC and Missouri District 2 crowns.

2014: Played in FIBA Under-17 World Championship

In 2014, Tatum played in the FIBA Under-17 World Championship.

2014: Sophomore Season Performance

In 2014, as a sophomore, Jayson Tatum averaged 26.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, showcasing a significant improvement in his performance.

2015: Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Circuit

In 2015, Jayson Tatum joined the St. Louis Eagles Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team on the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) Circuit. He led the EYBL in scoring with 26.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.

2015: Played in FIBA Under-19 World Championship

In 2015, Tatum played in the FIBA Under-19 World Championship and made the Eurobasket.com All-World Championship U19 Second Team.

2015: Junior Season Performance

In 2015, as a junior, Tatum averaged 25.9 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game, earning Second-team Naismith Trophy All-American honors.

March 30, 2016: McDonald's All-American Game

On March 30, 2016, Jayson Tatum was selected to the 2016 McDonald's All-American Game, leading the East Team in scoring with 18 points and grabbing eight rebounds.

December 3, 2016: Duke Debut

On December 3, 2016, Jayson Tatum recorded 10 points in his Duke debut, a 94–55 victory over Maine.

2016: Missouri Class 5A State Championship

In 2015-2016, as a senior, Tatum averaged 29.6 points and 9.1 rebounds, leading Chaminade to its second Missouri Class 5A state championship.

2016: Jaylen Brown drafted by the Celtics

In 2016, Jaylen Brown was drafted by the Celtics as the number 3 pick. Jayson Tatum would later form a duo with him.

2016: Played at Nike Hoop Summit

In 2016, Jayson Tatum represented Team USA at the Nike Hoop Summit, recording 14 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block in nearly 17 minutes of play.

2016: Freshman Season at Duke

In 2016, Jayson Tatum started his freshman season at Duke, later named to the ACC All-Freshman team.

2016: Ranked as a Top Recruit

In 2016, Jayson Tatum was rated a five-star recruit and ranked as the No. 3 overall recruit in the high school class.

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 made his NBA debut, recording a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

December 2017: Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month

In December 2017, Jayson Tatum was named the Eastern Conference's Rookie of the Month.

2017: Spokesperson for Imo's Pizza

In 2017, Jayson Tatum became a spokesperson for Imo's Pizza.

2017: Enters the NBA Draft

In 2017, Jayson Tatum opted to enter the NBA draft as a one-and-done player after his freshman season.

2017: Drafted by the Boston Celtics

In 2017, Jayson Tatum was selected by the Boston Celtics with the third overall pick in the NBA draft.

2017: Drafted by Celtics and Summer League Performance

In 2017, Jayson Tatum was selected by the Boston Celtics. During the 2017 NBA Summer League, Tatum averaged impressive stats and was named to the All-Summer League Second Team.

April 15, 2018: Playoff Debut

On April 15, 2018, Jayson Tatum recorded a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds in Game 1 of the first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks, marking his playoff debut.

May 22, 2018: Named to NBA All-Rookie Team

On May 22, 2018, Jayson Tatum was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team (First Team), recognizing his outstanding performance in his rookie season.

October 16, 2018: Season-Opening Victory

On October 16, 2018, Jayson Tatum recorded 23 points, nine rebounds, and three assists during the season-opening victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

2018: NBA All-Rookie First Team Selection

In the 2018 season, Jayson Tatum was voted to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

February 5, 2019: Victory over the 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 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 exceeded his previous record with a then career-high 41 points against the New Orleans Pelicans in a 140–105 victory.

November 22, 2020: Rookie Maximum 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 and 30 Points

On December 23, 2020, during the season-opening victory, Jayson Tatum totaled 30 points and seven rebounds, hitting a game-winning three-pointer against the Milwaukee Bucks.

2020: 50+ point games

In 2020, Jayson 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.

2020: Named to Olympic Team

In 2020, Jayson Tatum was named to the Olympic team, though the games were postponed until 2021.

2020: Olympic Gold Medal

In 2020, Jayson Tatum won a gold medal with the U.S. Olympic team.

2020: Eastern Conference Finals Appearance

In 2020, the Celtics, led by Jayson Tatum, advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second time in his three years in the NBA, but were eliminated by the Miami Heat.

January 3, 2021: Career-High Assists and Game-Winning Shot

On January 3, 2021, Jayson Tatum recorded 24 points and a career-high 12 assists, while also making another game-winning shot in a victory over the Detroit Pistons.

October 25, 2021: First Win of the Season

On October 25, 2021, Jayson Tatum recorded 41 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists in an overtime victory against the Charlotte Hornets, securing the Celtics' first win of the season.

2021: Won Gold Medal at Tokyo Olympics

In 2021, Jayson Tatum helped Team USA win the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, averaging 15.2 points per game.

2021: 50 Points in Play-in Tournament

In 2021, during the play-in tournament, Jayson Tatum scored 50 points, leading the Celtics to victory over the Washington Wizards and securing the #7-seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2021 NBA playoffs. He also set a record for most points in a single play-in tournament game.

January 23, 2022: Season-High 51 Points

On January 23, 2022, Jayson Tatum scored a then season-high 51 points, along with 10 rebounds and seven assists, and a career-high nine three-pointers in a victory over the Washington Wizards.

November 30, 2022: 49 Points and Youngest to 900 Three-Pointers

On November 30, 2022, Jayson Tatum recorded 49 points and 11 rebounds, making eight three-pointers in a victory over the Miami Heat. He became the youngest player in NBA history to make 900 three-pointers.

2022: NBA Eastern Conference Finals MVP

In 2022, Jayson Tatum won the inaugural NBA Eastern Conference finals MVP.

January 5, 2023: Second Career Triple-Double

On January 5, 2023, Jayson Tatum recorded his second career triple-double with 29 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists in a victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

November 4, 2023: Youngest Celtic to 10,000 Points

On November 4, 2023, Jayson Tatum became the youngest Celtic to reach 10,000 career points at 25 years and 246 days of age, recording 32 points and 11 rebounds in a victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

2023: Received Signature Shoe, Jordan Tatum 1

In 2023, Jayson Tatum received his own signature silhouette, the Jordan Tatum 1.

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February 13, 2024: 41 Points Against Nets

On February 13, 2024, Jayson Tatum scored 41 points, with 31 in the first half, along with 14 rebounds in a victory over the Brooklyn Nets. He also joined Larry Bird as the only Celtics with at least 25 40-point games.

February 2024: Partnered with SoFi for Home Ownership Initiative

In February 2024, Jayson Tatum partnered with SoFi to help people buy homes in St. Louis. The company donated $1 million to the Jayson Tatum Foundation for the initiative, and Tatum appeared on CBS News to discuss the efforts.

July 1, 2024: Richest NBA Contract

On July 1, 2024, Jayson Tatum signed a five-year contract extension worth up to $314 million, making it the richest deal in NBA history, surpassing Jaylen Brown's $304 million extension.

July 2024: Named Cover Athlete for NBA 2K25

In July 2024, Jayson Tatum was named the cover athlete for the video game NBA 2K25.

November 16, 2024: Game-Winning Shot Against Raptors

On November 16, 2024, Jayson Tatum recorded 24 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists, including a buzzer-beating, game-winning three-pointer in an overtime victory against the Toronto Raptors.

2024: First Playoff Triple-Double and NBA Finals Appearance

In 2024, Jayson Tatum had his first career playoff triple-double. The Celtics won the series in four games and advanced to the 2024 NBA Finals.

2024: NBA Championship and Olympic Gold Medal

In 2024, Jayson Tatum led his team to a league-best 64 wins and a championship in the NBA Finals and also won a gold medal with the U.S. Olympic team.

2024: Named to Olympic Team

In 2024, Jayson Tatum was named to the Olympic team. Team USA would go on to win the gold medal in a rematch against France.

2024: NBA Championship

In 2024, Jayson Tatum won his first NBA title in the NBA Finals with the Boston Celtics.

2024: NBA Finals Victory

In the 2024 NBA Finals, Jayson Tatum led the Celtics to victory, recording notable performances in multiple games and setting records with Jaylen Brown. Tatum also led the Celtics in all three categories during the NBA Finals.

January 25, 2025: Named Eastern Conference 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.