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 professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics. A McDonald's All-American in high school, he played college basketball at Duke University. Tatum was drafted third overall by the Celtics in 2017 and named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2018. In 2022, he was named the inaugural NBA Eastern Conference finals MVP. Tatum solidified his career by winning his first NBA title in the 2024 NBA Finals.

Sections (4)

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

2007: Celtics' Top Seed

The Celtics secured the NBA's top seed and home-court advantage throughout the postseason for the first time since the 2007-08 season, showcasing their dominance in the league.

2013: Metro Catholic Conference Co-Player of the Year

In 2013, as a freshman, 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: FIBA Under-17 World Championship

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

2014: Sophomore Season Statistics

In 2014, as a sophomore, Tatum averaged 26.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game.

2015: Senior Year Highlights

As a senior in 2015-16, Tatum averaged 29.6 points and 9.1 rebounds. Some highlights included a 40-point, 17-rebound game against Bentonville High School.

2015: FIBA Under-19 World Championship

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

2015: Nike Peach Jam Championship Appearance

In the summer of 2015, Jayson Tatum joined the St. Louis Eagles AAU team and played in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) Circuit. On July 11, the Eagles narrowly defeated Team CP3 in the Nike Peach Jam Semi-Finals. The next day, he had 24 points in a loss to the Georgia Stars in the 2015 Nike Peach Jam championship game. During the Circuit, Tatum led the EYBL in scoring.

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

On March 30, 2016, Tatum was selected to the McDonald's All-American Game at the United Center in Chicago, leading the East Team in scoring with 18 points.

December 3, 2016: Duke Debut

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

2016: Missouri Class 5A State Championship

In 2015–16 as a senior, Tatum led Chaminade to its second Missouri Class 5A state championship.

2016: Jaylen Brown Drafted

In 2016, Jaylen Brown was drafted to the Boston Celtics at pick number 3. Tatum would later form a duo with Brown.

2016: Nike Hoop Summit Participation

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

2016: High School Recruit Ranking

In 2016, Jayson Tatum was rated a five-star recruit and ranked as the No. 3 overall recruit behind Harry Giles and Josh Jackson.

2016: Duke Freshman Season

In the 2016-17 season, Jayson Tatum played 29 games for Duke, averaging 16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. He was 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 victory over Georgia Tech.

October 17, 2017: NBA Debut

On October 17, 2017, Jayson Tatum recorded a double-double in his NBA debut 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

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

2017: Enters NBA Draft

At the end of his freshman season, Jayson Tatum opted to enter the 2017 NBA draft.

2017: Selected by the Celtics

In 2017, Danny Ainge traded the team's No. 1 overall pick to the Philadelphia 76ers for the third overall pick, which the Celtics used to select Jayson Tatum. He also played in the NBA Summer League events.

April 15, 2018: Playoff Double-Double

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.

May 22, 2018: NBA All-Rookie 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, Jayson Tatum recorded 23 points, nine rebounds, and three assists in the season-opening victory against the Philadelphia 76ers.

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 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 Points

On December 22, 2019, Jayson Tatum recorded a then career-high 39 points, along with 12 rebounds, in a victory over the Charlotte Hornets.

January 11, 2020: Career-High 41 Points

On January 11, 2020, Jayson Tatum exceeded his previous high with a then career-high 41 points against the New Orleans Pelicans.

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 $163 million.

December 23, 2020: Game-Winning Three-Pointer

On December 23, 2020, Jayson Tatum totaled 30 points and seven rebounds, alongside a game-winning three-pointer in a narrow victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.

2020: Named to Olympic Team

In 2020, Jayson Tatum was selected to the Olympic team, though the games were postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Eastern Conference Finals Appearance

In the 2020 NBA playoffs, the Celtics advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals but were eliminated by the Miami Heat in six games. A game-tying dunk attempt by Tatum was blocked in Game 1.

2020: Tatum and LaVine's 50-Point Games

In the 2020 season, Jayson Tatum and Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls became the second pair of players to score 50+ points on the same day, highlighting their exceptional performances.

January 3, 2021: Game-Winning Shot

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

October 25, 2021: 41 points against the Hornets

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

2021: Olympic Gold Medal Win

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

On May 18, 2021, Jayson Tatum scored 50 points in the play-in tournament game against the Washington Wizards, leading the Celtics to a 118–100 victory and securing the #7-seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2021 NBA playoffs. He set a record for most points in a play-in tournament game and was perfect from the free-throw line.

January 23, 2022: 51-Point Game Against Wizards

On January 23, 2022, Tatum achieved a then season-high of 51 points, along with 10 rebounds, seven assists, and a career-high nine three-pointers in a dominant 116–87 victory over the Washington Wizards.

November 30, 2022: 49 points and NBA Record

On November 30, 2022, Tatum scored 49 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a 134–121 victory against the Miami Heat. At 24 years old, he became the youngest player in NBA history to make 900 three-pointers, surpassing Bradley Beal's record. He also achieved multiple 45-point, 10-rebound, and 8-three-pointer games, joining a select group of NBA players.

2022: NBA Eastern Conference Finals MVP

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

2022: 2022 NBA Finals Rematch

On January 19, 2023, in a rematch of the 2022 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, Tatum recorded 34 points, a career-high 19 rebounds, six assists, and three steals in the 121–118 overtime victory. He became the first Celtic since Paul Pierce in 2002 to record at least 30 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists in a game. Tatum became the tenth player in NBA history to reach 9,000 career points before the age of 25.

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 124–95 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

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

On November 4, 2023, Jayson Tatum scored 32 points and had 11 rebounds in a 124–114 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, becoming the youngest Celtic to reach 10,000 career points at 25 years and 246 days old.

2023: Received Signature Jordan Silhouette

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

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January 25, 2024: 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 All-Star selection and his second consecutive selection as a starter.

February 13, 2024: 41 Points Against the Nets

On February 13, 2024, Tatum scored 41 points, with 31 in the first half, tied his career-high for first-half points - along with 14 rebounds and five assists in a 118–110 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. He also joined Larry Bird as the only players in Celtics franchise history to record at least 25 40-point games.

February 2024: Partnership with SoFi

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

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 his teammate Jaylen Brown's extension.

July 2024: 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, and hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to secure a 126–123 overtime victory over the Toronto Raptors.

2024: First Playoff Triple-Double and NBA Finals Appearance

In 2024, Jayson Tatum achieved his first career playoff triple-double in Game 1 against the Miami Heat, contributing 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. He led the Celtics to the NBA Finals and became the sixth player in NBA history to lead their team in points, rebounds, and assists while reaching the NBA Finals.

2024: Championship Wins Coincide with Matthew Tkachuk

In 2024, Jayson Tatum and his high school friend, NHL forward Matthew Tkachuk, both won their respective championship series (NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Finals) within a week of each other.

2024: Second Olympic Gold Medal Win

In 2024, Jayson Tatum was selected to the Olympic team. Team USA would go on to win the gold medal in a rematch against France, he had little impact on the games, averaging 5.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists.

2024: NBA Finals and Olympic Gold

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

2024: NBA Finals Win

In 2024, Tatum won his first title in the NBA Finals.

2024: NBA Finals Performance and Championship

In the 2024 NBA Finals, Jayson Tatum led the Celtics to victory, with notable performances including Game 3 where he scored 31 points. He and Jaylen Brown became the first Celtics duo to each post at least 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in an NBA Finals game. Tatum led the Celtics in points, rebounds, and assists during the NBA Finals and became the sixth player to lead his team in all three categories during a championship run.

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 consecutive selection as a starter.

October 2025: Named Chief Basketball Officer for Duke Blue Devils

In October 2025, Jayson Tatum was appointed as the Chief Basketball Officer for the Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team. He will volunteer as a special advisor to Jon Scheyer and the program.