Netflix just released its "Starting 5" documentary, which follows Jayson Tatum, LeBron James, Anthony Edwards, Jimmy Butler and Domantas Sabonis behind the scenes throughout the 2023-24 season.
But if Tatum was a little less confident, that "Starting 5" might not have included him.
The Boston Celtics star told reporters Thursday that when he was first approached about participating in the documentary, it was suggested to him that he could wait until the following year and potentially be the "star" of the show, instead of being overshadowed by an NBA legend like James.
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Tatum had no interest in waiting, however -- in part because he felt confident the 2023-24 season could be special.
“When they came to me with the idea, at the time they said LeBron was in it, and honestly he was like, 'Yo, you could wait until Season 2. Obviously LeBron's in it; you could maybe be the star of Season 2,'" Tatum said.
"I was like, ‘No, I want to be a part of the first one.’ And I was like, ‘I think we’re gonna win a championship.’ And we did."
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Remember, this pitch came to Tatum before the Celtics played a single game last season. But Tatum was confident in his squad, which had reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2023 and the NBA Finals the season prior and had acquired Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday that offseason.
He believed he could give Netflix's team something special to document, and he made that belief a reality when the Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals. Netflix's cameras captured Tatum's emotional celebration with his son Deuce as the confetti fell at TD Garden, and Tatum relived that moment Wednesday night by watching the final episode of the documentary.
"I ain't gonna lie, I skipped to Episode 10 last night," Tatum said. "I just wanted to see what that was like. I was emotional in a good way, reliving those moments of accomplishing a lifelong dream, all the behind-the-scenes stuff.
"It made me really joyful last night to watch that on TV just to relive that moment of us winning a championship."
The Celtics will have another chance to relish their latest title on Opening Night, when they'll raise Banner 18 to the rafters and receive their championship rings before their Oct. 22 game against the New York Knicks. But after that, they'll turn the page quickly on making a run at Banner 19.
