BOSTON — Former Boston Celtics guard Evan Turner hadn’t shot a basketball in almost 3 years. But, when he got invited to compete in a 3-point contest as part of the Celtics Causeway Classic — which was a fan event hosted at TD Garden ahead of the Green Team’s Sunday night showdown with the Minnesota Timberwolves — he jumped at the opportunity.
“I’m grateful to be back,” he said in the TD Garden press room. “It’s always cool to be in Boston and be part of this. And I’m very humbled when (they) hit me to show up and do this. I’m like, ‘Hey, whenever, I don’t care if I’m hundredth on the list, I get it.’ But I’ll always show up and pull up, and Boston is fun.”
Mar 1, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Former NBA player and former assistant coach for the Boston Celtics Evan Turner greets forward Jayson Tatum (0) during a break in the action against the Atlanta Hawks in the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Turner joked that he felt like the odd man out when introduced as a Celtics legend during the fan celebration presented by Ticketmaster, as he was just a former journeyman sharing the floor for the moment with former NBA Finals MVPs such as Cedric Maxwell and Paul Pierce. Despite this sheepishness, he had no issues singing the praises of others, including his friend and Celtics star Jayson Tatum.
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During the 2020-21 NBA “Bubble” season, Turner was a Celtics assistant coach who got to work with Tatum while in quarantine. They grew close and he was overjoyed to see the six-time All-Star playing again.
“Everything it means everything,” he told Celtics Wire of Tatum’s return. “The game needs Tatum. He’s one of those faces in this generation. So I think aside from what he’s been able to accomplish, I think it’s been super cool to follow his story.”
After missing the first 62 games of the 2025-26 campaign due to an Achilles injury, Tatum took the parquet again to deafening cheers on March 6. Since he completed his comeback, the Celtics are 6-1 when he’s in the lineup.
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“Whether it be in every movie, in every individual situation, the best stories are the comeback stories,” Turner said. “I’ve always been a big admirer of him as an individual and as a young man, and what he’s doing now has made me even far more impressed.”
This isn’t the first time Turner has been wowed by Tatum. He recalled a memory from years ago that hinted at the St. Louis native’s commitment to getting better — and how his drive was contagious.
“When I coached, Jayson was lifting after the game,” he remembered. “And before you know it, the busses are leaving even later and later, and you’re like, ‘Dang, more people lifting, more people lifting. More people lifting.'”
Turner used Tatum’s postgame lifts as an example to point out how the winning culture the Celtics boast about is legitimate. It existed long before the “Bubble” days and is on display right now, as the C’s hold a 47-23 record in spite of missing their go-to guy for more than half the season.
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“I think everybody’s showing up, trying to do their piece to win a championship,” Turner described of the current team.
While a championship didn’t seem possible in the offseason, the Celtics could make it a reality. They’ll continue to feed off Tatum’s comeback against the Timberwolves on Sunday night and beyond with the playoffs less than a month away.
“When it came down to people thinking they weren’t going to be good this year, everybody (on the Celtics) was like, ‘Perfect,'” Turner stated. “So we can focus in, get better, and win like we’re supposed to….And that’s what it’s been.”
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Former Celtic Evan Turner knows the game of basketball missed Jayson Tatum