Jayson Tatum's Evolution as a Talent, Leader of the Celtics

Even Jayson Tatum at times had doubts about how well he could lead this Celtics team. But his play, poise and pursuit of greatness in leading this team, has them four wins away from Banner 18.

OAKLAND, Calif. – Among the most talked-about criticisms of Jayson Tatum for as long as he has been a Boston Celtic, has centered around his leadership.

Even Tatum acknowledges having had moments when he wasn’t sure if he was fit to lead this team.

“I’ll be honest, for myself, there have been times where I questioned, am I the right person to kind of lead a group like this,” Tatum said. “You know, never like doubted myself, but just moments after some of those losses and the tougher parts of the season.”

Those rough patches in the season have toughened up both the Celtics and Tatum in a way that has been instrumental in them being on the biggest stage of them all, the NBA Finals.

And for all the things Boston has done to make it this far, Tatum’s leadership has been among the more low-key factors.

During those times of uncertainty, Tatum could have easily tried to be more like what fans want from a leader; to be more visibly fired up and angry after losses.

That happens, but the ire of Tatum is something he has been more comfortable unleashing behind closed doors.

But as time passed and Boston continued to ascend towards the top of the Eastern Conference standings, Tatum’s leadership style also evolved.

He is more prone to point out a missed rotation in-game now, than he was say a year or two ago.

And as for those moments when Tatum has wondered about whether he was the right man to lead this team, it eventually becomes nothing more than just a fleeting thought.

In many ways, maintaining a high level of self-confidence for Tatum, was a microcosm of the larger challenge faced by the Boston Celtics this season.

To be four wins away from the franchise’s 18th NBA title, is a remarkable accomplishment considering how back-of-the-pack this team was about halfway through the season.

“And it was tough,” Tatum said. “Certain times, we were three games under .500 and 11-seed, and I'm sure not many people thought we would have gotten to this point. But there was always a sense of belief between us and the group that we were capable of figuring it out.”

Boston’s climb began with a stifling brand of defense, soon followed by improved offensive flow which led to a lot more wins.

The Celtics’ surge during the second half of the season catapulted them to the No. 2 seed in the East where they soon swept the Brooklyn Nets in the first round (the only sweep in the playoffs this year), followed by success against Milwaukee and Miami with both series ending in seven games.

And through those struggles and times of success, Tatum’s confidence not only as a player but as a leader of this team got stronger.

“That’s human nature to kind of question yourself and things like that,” Tatum said. “But just always stick to what you believe in and trust in the work that you've put in.

Tatum added, "You know, it can’t rain forever.”