‘I’m not perfect’: Jayson Tatum details how he handles criticism, life in spotlight
"Coming into a game with an angry face and mad at the world, that’s not who I am."
Jayson Tatum heard the chatter.
Following a subpar Game 1 and Game 2, by his standards, many soured on him and questioned his ability as a superstar.
Tatum simply brushed off the criticism, prepared for Game 3 like he would any other, and moved forward. The result was a much better performance, in which he finished with 22 points (including 5-of-9 shooting from 3-point range), 9 rebounds, and 7 assists in the Celtics’ 115-93 triumph over the Knicks on Saturday.
Afterward, while speaking with reporters at Madison Square Garden, Tatum discussed his mind-set and how he stays levelheaded through it all.
Tatum said he’s not the first or last person who’s ever been criticized, so he tries to not put too much stock into it.
“For me, it’s just a sense of joy that I play with,” Tatum said. “Coming into a game with an angry face and mad at the world, that’s not who I am. That’s not when I play my best. So I always say you’ve got to be the same person when things are going great and when things aren’t going great. You can’t switch up. That’s the character of a good man.”
Tatum said he understands the level of scrutiny comes with being “that guy.” He added that he lives a “great life” and has experienced many great things, but part of that is accepting the downsides that inevitably come with the positives.
“I get a lot of praise. I get a lot of credit. I get a lot of accolades. But I’m not perfect, and there’s times where I’ve needed to play better,” Tatum told reporters. “I’ve needed to do more. And that comes with being that guy.”
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