Among the “reporters” present at Jayson Tatum’s media day podium session was a fellow NBA player: Jabari Smith, a Houston Rockets forward who just completed his second pro season.
Smith asked Tatum what advice he would give to a young player who has yet to live up to his expectations. It was a self-aware question from the 21-year-old, who’s averaged 13.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game since being drafted third overall in 2022, and Tatum offered an insightful answer.
“I’ve been in that situation,” said Tatum, the No. 3 overall pick in 2017. “Everybody else in the world at your age at 21 is probably still in school, trying to figure out what they want to do in life. We come into the league at such a young age, and they want us to be perfect right away. It’s just part of growing up. You’re still growing up. I’m still growing up. It’s a process, right? Nothing was accomplished overnight. I think you’ll find a value in tough times, the ups and downs of just what life brings you.”
The 26-year-old then paused and added: “I sound like a real old person right now.”
“In the sense of your career, I would say, man, enjoy it,” Tatum continued. “There’s going to be some great times. There’s going to be some times that aren’t so great. It’s OK to be upset because that means you care, right? You want to be great. People believe that you can. They just try to rush the process. It takes however long it takes. But as long as you work hard, you believe, you’ve got the right support system — obviously, you do down in Houston; I know all those guys, coaches — everything will take care of itself how it’s supposed to.”
