Slam

STEAL THE SHOW

SLAM #218 // PAGE 31

WALKING THROUGH the tunnels of the storied TD Garden with his son, photos snapping and media swarming, it suddenly hits.

This is real. This is actually happening.

“This shit is crazy.”

It’s Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Justin Tatum is at the arena early, now staring at his son as he goes through warm-ups, allowing the moment to sink in, feeling the weight of all of it.

For the past few weeks, Jayson Tatum has been at the forefront of a remarkable Celtics playoff run. He’s still a rookie. He’s merely 20 years old.

To stroll the packed hallways and watch as the seats fill up with fans, many of whom are wearing a jersey with the name Tatum on it, is an experience Justin describes as “surreal.”

“But, I mean, I guess I knew I was going to do it one day,” the father adds. “Because Jayson told me I would.”

“THERE WERE veterinarians, doctors, teachers, nurses, dentists.”

Jayson is reminiscing on an assignment from the second grade, one that sticks out vividly in his memory. Write a paragraph on what you want to be as an adult and share it with the class.

“I was like, I want to be in the, and everybody kind of laughed at me,” he says.

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from Slam

Slam1 min read
Game 3
September 15, 2022 Aces 105—Sun 76 Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT Win or go home. If one thing was for certain in Game 3, it was that Connecticut really, really wanted to push the series to a Game 5, and they used playing on their homecourt at Moh
Slam2 min read
Queen Of The Court
THE PLAN WAS TO become an attorney. For Rutgers’ new women’s head coach Coquese Washington, her objective was to play hoops for Notre Dame, and then attend their law school. But, court ambitions of a different sort led her to a distinguished WNBA pla
Slam3 min read
Energy
IT WAS ABOUT MIDWAY through the first half of the girls game at the SLAM Summer Classic Vol. 4 when Rucker Park absolutely EXPLODED. We’re talking to the point where you heard it blocks away. What caused the commotion? Hannah Hidalgo hitting an Eastb

Related Books & Audiobooks