The Paul Pierce-Jayson Tatum comparisons have been around since the Celtics selected Tatum with the No. 3 pick in 2017.
Pierce was quick to recognize it. "He looks like an older version of me," The Truth said even before Tatum's rookie year, referring to how much more developed Tatum's game was in his first season.
Tatum has embraced those comparisons in an ESPN interview with Sam Alipour, stating boldly, "I want to be the next Paul Pierce."
It's part of an ESPN The Magazine feature and interview with Tatum to be broadcast on the C's Christmas Day matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Tatum's Pierce-like goals came in response to a fan at the Natick Mall yelling to the second-year forward, "We're gonna win a championship with you!"
So, it seems all Tatum wants for Christmas is to be a key part of a Celtics' NBA title, have his number 0 raised to the Garden rafters, move into the upper echelon of the C's all-time scoring list (Pierce is second behind John Havlicek, Larry Bird is third) and be considered one of the best offensive players in the franchise's storied history.
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