Rookie Jayson Tatum convinced Celtics would have drafted him No. 1 overall
The former Duke star revealed his take on the Celtics' draft strategy during a podcast Monday
There's a luster that comes with being the No. 1 overall NBA Draft pick, an honor this year bestowed upon 76ers guard Markelle Fultz -- though the Sixers didn't originally have the pick. The Celtics traded it to them in exchange for No. 3 overall and a future first-round selection. The Celtics took forward Jayson Tatum at No. 3, and on the "WTF in the Attic" podcast, Tatum said he's convinced the Celtics would have taken him No. 1, and that's why they traded down (12:02 mark of the video below).
"The Celtics were always going to pick me No. 1, but Philly didn't know that," Tatum said. "Philly thought that Boston was going to pick Markelle, so Philly traded the pick and gave Boston a pick for next year.
"So Boston was like, 'Well, we can still get the player we want, a next-year pick, and then we get the player we wanted for less money.'
"So Boston still got all what they wanted, and Philly had to give up still to get the No. 1. Philly didn't know that Boston was going to pick me, so that's why they traded up."
Celtics president and general manager Danny Ainge alluded to the same thing following the trade, saying, "there is a good chance the player we take at No. 3 will be the exact player we would have taken at No. 1."
Maybe Ainge just trying to pump up the former Duke star's confidence, but it's plausible the Celtics didn't want to take another ball-dominant guard like Fultz because they have Isaiah Thomas.
















