Of all the emotions Jayson Tatum experienced Monday night after becoming an NBA champion, the first was disbelief.
As green and white confetti streamed above him at TD Garden following the Boston Celtics' title-clinching win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals, Tatum buried his head in his hands as if unable to process finally getting over the championship hump.
But right by Tatum's side was his six-year-old son, Deuce, who ran onto the court and hugged his father's leg before Tatum finally turned around and hoisted Deuce into the air in celebration.
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You can check out the emotional scene in the video player above, which also shows Tatum sharing a long hug with his mother, Brandy Cole.
Tatum's reaction confirms how much it meant to him to finally win an NBA championship after four trips to the Eastern Conference Finals (and one trip to the NBA Finals) in his previous six seasons. While the five-time All-Star and three-time First-Team All-NBA selection already boasts an incredible resume, he knew he'd continue to be criticized until he won a title.
And on Monday night, he finally silenced those critics -- with Deuce serving as his personal hype man.
"He told me that I was the best in the world," Tatum said of his postgame exchange with his son. "I said, 'You're damn right I am.'"
At just 26 years old, Tatum still has a bright future ahead of him. But the Celtics star allowed himself to be in the moment Monday in a rare display of raw emotion that will be remembered for years to come.
