Video: Jayson Tatum Says He Cried After Getting NBA 2K25 Cover News from Son Deuce
Mike Chiari@@mikechiari
Featured Columnist IVJuly 10, 2024
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum revealed Wednesday how he learned he was going to be one of the cover athletes for the NBA 2K25 video game.
Speaking on The Old Man & The Three, Tatum noted that the news was broken to him on his birthday on March 3 when his son, Deuce, handed him a gift bag containing the big reveal:
TheOldMan&TheThree @OldManAndThreeThis is how <a href="https://twitter.com/jaytatum0?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jaytatum0</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/_ajawilson22?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_ajawilson22</a> found out they were the next <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA2K?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBA2K</a> cover athletes. <br><br>Watch their full conversation with guest host <a href="https://twitter.com/S10Bird?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@S10Bird</a> on YouTube: <a href="https://t.co/TAly1pdbQN">https://t.co/TAly1pdbQN</a> <a href="https://t.co/kH1PrgJ4B7">pic.twitter.com/kH1PrgJ4B7</a>
"I actually got like teary eyed," Tatum said. "I kind of cried a little bit. Just because I feel like I'm very blessed and fortunate that when I was younger I had so many dreams and goals and things I wanted to check off. I'm experiencing those things in real time. And I grew up at my mom's house playing 2K with my best friend and my cousin, and dreaming about being in the game one day. And then being on the cover, for that moment to come true, I got a little emotional. I kind of cried a little bit. I was just so emotional, overwhelmed and happy that something I dreamed about came true."
It was announced Wednesday by 2K that Tatum, WNBA star A'ja Wilson and Hall of Famer Vince Carter will be featured on various NBA 2K25 covers.
Tatum will grace the standard edition, while he and Wilson will share the All-Star edition cover:
NBA 2K @NBA2KNBA Champion and a 2K cover has a nice ring to it 🏆<a href="https://twitter.com/jaytatum0?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jaytatum0</a> is our <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA2K25?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA2K25</a> Standard Edition Cover Athlete! ☘️<br><br>Pre-order today ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/gLm2YAsIjO">https://t.co/gLm2YAsIjO</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BallOverEverything?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BallOverEverything</a> <a href="https://t.co/xM5YrMi1r4">pic.twitter.com/xM5YrMi1r4</a>
NBA 2K @NBA2KTo be a star, it's gotta be <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BallOverEverything?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BallOverEverything</a> 🌟<br><br>Introducing our <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA2K25?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA2K25</a> Cover Athletes <a href="https://twitter.com/jaytatum0?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jaytatum0</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/_ajawilson22?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_ajawilson22</a>! 💫<br><br>Pre-order the All-Star Edition today ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/gLm2YAsIjO">https://t.co/gLm2YAsIjO</a> <a href="https://t.co/OwXyK4d71f">pic.twitter.com/OwXyK4d71f</a>
Much like he did during the interview, Tatum expressed on X that being on the cover of an NBA 2K game was a dream come true:
Tatum, 26, is coming off a magical 2023-24 NBA season, as he won his first NBA championship.
The former Duke standout was also named an All-Star for the fifth consecutive season, and he finished sixth in the NBA MVP voting by virtue of averaging 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 3.1 three-pointers made and 1.0 steal per game.
Now, Tatum has a chance to add even more to his impressive list of accolades when he heads to Paris this month to represent the United States in the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Tatum was part of the gold-medal-winning Team USA at the 2020 Summer Games, and he has a chance to secure another gold this year to go along with his NBA championship and distinction as an NBA 2K25 cover athlete.
