Jayson Tatum reveals his feelings about Danny Ainge

Danny Ainge has been a major part of the Boston Celtics and its culture for years.

He played for the team from 1981 to 1989 but returned to Boston in 2003 as executive director of basketball operations.

He remained in this position for years, until 2021.

During that time, he was involved in every major move in the team and its front office, including drafting Jayson Tatum in 2017.

Since then, Ainge has moved into a new position with the Utah Jazz, but is still well regarded by the Celtics, including Tatum.

“I am grateful to him. He tried his luck with a nineteen-year-old kid,” Tatum recently said of Ainge.

“I’m grateful to him. He tried his luck with a nineteen-year-old kid”

Jayson Tatum can’t wait to see Danny Ainge and Will Hardy tomorrow night in Utah pic.twitter.com/rgnM7NRL0B

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) March 18, 2023

Ainge and his organization had a lot of faith in Tatum in 2017.

They knew the Duke player could be the next big thing and picked him as their third draft pick.

Years later, Tatum is now one of the best players in the league and is averaging 30.2 points, 9 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game.

Selecting Tatum wasn’t the only historic thing Ainge did while leading the Celtics.

The legacies of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Isaiah Thomas and many others have all been affected by Ainge and his choices.

And the team’s success in the final in 2008 was also partly due to Ainge and the work he had done.

He is now doing great things for the Utah Jazz and has racked up a lot of young talent and draft picks since becoming that team’s CEO of basketball operations.

But he will always be seen as a Celtics hero to many, including the players.

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Jayson Tatum is having a tough time