Jayson Tatum 2019-2020 Boston Celtics Game Worn Sneakers

In the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals, then-rookie Boston Celtics small forward Jayson Tatum found himself engaged in a heated battle with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was a tall task for any player, let alone a rookie. But Tatum rose to the occasion and helped the Celtics take the 2016 NBA Champions and defending Eastern Conference Champions to seven games. Though the Celtics came up short, Tatum’s superstar potential was put on center stage.  

By his third season in the NBA in 2019-20, Tatum had developed into one of the best two-way players in basketball. The young tandem of Tatum and teammate Jaylen Brown turned the Celtics into a perennial championship contender. After averaging 13.9 and 15.7 points per game during his first two seasons, Tatum’s scoring average jumped to 23.4 points per game in 2019-20. He also set then-career-high averages of 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. 

These sneakers were worn by Jayson Tatum in two games during his breakout season in 2019-20. They have been photomatched by The MeiGray Group to December 6, 2019 and January 3, 2020. The heels of each sneaker feature the inscription “[heart]Deuce” in honor of Tatum’s son.

Inspired by one of Tatum’s favorite cuisines, these player exclusive Air Jordan 34’s feature motifs reminiscent of a Chinese restaurant takeout experience. 

‘Thank You’ and ‘Enjoy’ can be found at the the base of the tongue, next to smiley faces that resemble the plastic bag. The heel logos of the shoe also express the theme with a fortune cookie featured on the left heel and a Chinese tower on the right.

On December 6, 2019, the Boston Celtics defeated the Denver Nuggets 108-95 at T.D. Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Tatum scored 26 points and added 7 rebounds and 5 assists in the victory. 

On January 3, 2020, the Boston Celtics defeated the Atlanta Hawks 109-106 at T.D. Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Tatum scored 13 points and also tallied 9 rebounds and 3 assists in the win. 

Between the two photomatched games, Tatum registered 39 points, 16 rebounds, and 8 assists in two victories for the Celtics. 

Though he was still just 21 years old, Tatum’s improvement helped the Celtics finish the 2019-20 season with a 48-24 record and the 3rd seed in the Eastern Conference. After sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1st Round of the playoffs and defeating the Toronto Raptors in seven games in the Conference Semifinals, the Celtics returned once again to the Conference Finals where they faced the Miami Heat. Tatum posted impressive averages of 26.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 6.3 assists but the Celtics fell in six games. Despite the loss, Tatum had officially solidified himself as one of the league’s best all-around players. 

In his first five seasons, Tatum and the Celtics have reached the Finals once (2022) and the Conference Finals twice (2018 and 2020). They have yet to miss the playoffs. In addition, the Duke University product has been named to three All-Star teams (2020, 2021, and 2022) and two All-NBA teams (2020 and 2022). 

The sneakers are accompanied by a photomatch letter and graphic from The MeiGray Group.