The summer time retains getting higher and higher for Jayson Tatum. After serving to lead the Celtics to their 18th championship with a 4-1 collection win over the Dallas Mavericks, Tatum then signed a five-year, $314 million supermax contract extension and joined Group USA for the Paris Olympics later this summer time.
Now, the 26-year-old has been named a canopy athlete of the favored online game NBA 2K25.
NBA 2K introduced on X the three cowl stars. Tatum shall be on the quilt for the usual version, whereas Las Vegas Aces star, A’ja Wilson, is the quilt athlete for the WNBA version. The third version is the Corridor of Fame version and the quilt athlete for that’s Vince Carter. Each Tatum and Wilson will characteristic on the All-Star version collectively.
On ‘The Outdated Man and The Three’ which was hosted by Sue Chook, Tatum spoke about being on the quilt.
“I had a singular expertise, it was on my birthday… Deuce had a bag and he mentioned ‘Joyful Birthday’ and I opened it and [it said] Congrats you’re on the quilt of 2K,” Tatum mentioned. “I acquired teary-eyed, I cried a little bit bit. I really feel like I’m very blessed and lucky that once I was youthful I had so many desires and objectives and issues I wished to test off. It’s like I’m experiencing these issues in actual time. I grew up at my mother’s home enjoying 2K with my finest pals and my cousins and dreaming about being within the recreation someday, after which being on the quilt. For that second to come back true, I cried a little bit bit. I used to be simply so overwhelmed and joyful that one thing I dreamed about got here true.”
Tatum averaged 26.9 factors, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists throughout the common season to assist Boston clinch the primary seed which noticed them have home-court benefit throughout the playoffs. For Wilson, final season she led the Aces to a 34-6 report and capped off the season with one other championship, profitable back-to-back titles. Wilson scored 22.8 factors per recreation final season on a star-studded group, however this 12 months she’s already making strides averaging 27 factors per recreation and is the main scorer within the WNBA.
Vince Carter introduced his retirement from the NBA in 2020 and this 12 months shall be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Corridor of Fame. The Brooklyn Nets introduced that Carter’s jersey shall be retired this season, that means no Nets participant will ever put on the quantity 15 jersey.
Jayson Tatum joins an unique listing of 2K cowl athletes and is the fourth Celtic to characteristic as a canopy athlete. The latest Celtic to grace the quilt of NBA 2K was Kyrie Irving who was the quilt star for 2K18. Regardless of being on the quilt of 2K18, Irving was named the quilt star after his season with the Cleveland Cavs, nevertheless, that summer time he was traded to Boston and 2K up to date the quilt accordingly.
Earlier than Irving, Larry Chook was on the 2K12 in a particular version the place clients may decide their cowl athletes between Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Chook.
With out being traded to the group or having a retired cowl athlete, the final Celtic participant to earn 2K honors with what they did for Boston was Kevin Garnett. Garnett was the cover-athlete for NBA 2K9 after his historic season profitable Banner 17 after his first season with Boston.
Tatum is now with Group USA in Las Vegas prepping for the Paris Olympics the place Tatum can cap off his already wonderful summer time with a gold medal.
