Anfernee Simons is about to play under the brightest spotlight of his career, and Jayson Tatum believes he’s ready for it.
Tatum might not be on the court with Simons and the Boston Celtics this season, but he has full faith in the 26-year-old guard.
Tatum recently talked about the new Celtics addition, and he thinks he’s about to “thrive” in Boston.
“He’s been very very good in the NBA and now we’re bringing him into an environment where the expectations are different. He’s an unbelievable player and I think he’ll thrive in a situation like this,” Tatum said of Simons.
Jayson Tatum talks about Anfernee Simons:
“He’s been very very good in the NBA and now we’re bringing him into an environment where the expectations are different.”
“He’s an unbelievable player and I think he’ll thrive in a situation like this.”pic.twitter.com/LBQX4Afy7B
— jb (@lockedupjb) September 27, 2025
This will be Simons’ eighth season in the NBA, and it stands to be the biggest one yet.
He has spent his entire career with the Portland Trail Blazers, who have consistently fallen short of their goals.
Simons has made some noise and received a good deal of attention at times, but it was hard to get much of it when playing for a struggling team.
Now, he will be with one of the most talked-about franchises in the league and the team with the most championships.
People will definitely be paying attention now, and that could help Simons’ game.
He could feed off the energy and goodwill of the fans, and people expect to see him take his game to another level in 2025-26.
The Celtics are changing in some huge ways and will be without Tatum, which will give Simons an even bigger chance to shine.
He is stepping onto a huge stage with millions of new fans, which could grant him a big turning point in his career.
NEXT: Jayson Tatum Hints At Timetable For Return
