Tatum becomes 1st Celtics rookie since Bird to log double-double in debut
The lone silver lining for the Boston Celtics on Tuesday following Gordon Hayward's horrific ankle injury was the performance of rookie Jayson Tatum.
Tatum, the No. 3 pick of the incoming rookie class, recorded 14 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and added three assists as part of an impressive debut which put him in the company of Larry Bird and Dave Cowens.
Jayson Tatum became the 3rd Celtics player with a double-double in his 1st career game, joining Larry Bird & Dave Cowens (via @EliasSports).
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 18, 2017
Tatum even showed enough confidence to go at LeBron James on several occasions, although those possessions mostly came up empty.
The Celtics had the first overall selection in this summer's draft, but liked Tatum so much that they were willing to trade down to pick third. The decision was widely criticized at the time, but Tatum had a strong showing at Las Vegas Summer League and now continues to impress.