Jayson Tatum’s trip to China didn’t exactly deliver the kind of show his fans were hoping for.
The Boston Celtics star is in the middle of his first full offseason without Achilles rehab hanging over him, and he’s taking camps around the world to connect with the fans who follow him most closely. But when the spotlight turned to the free-throw line, the results were rough. A Barstool Sports post summed up the moment this way: “The Fans in China just wanted to see Jayson Tatum make one free throw,” after video showed him missing 10 straight before finally getting one to fall.
Tatum is heading into the 10th season of his career, with a big campaign expected as he stands alone as the face of the Celtics going into next season. Last year, he played through his comeback from a torn Achilles suffered during the 2025 playoffs, returning in March and putting together strong numbers for a player still working back into full form.
In 16 regular-season games, Tatum averaged 21.8 points, 10 rebounds and 5.3 assists. He raised that to 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game in the playoffs.
Boston finished 56-26 and grabbed the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, but the season ended in a collapse after the Celtics blew a 3-1 series lead and lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in seven games in the first round.
The Fans in China just wanted to see Jayson Tatum make one free throw pic.twitter.com/V1TDVLnv5t
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) August 27, 2026
The offseason has brought major changes to the roster. The Celtics traded Tatum’s co-star Jaylen Brown to the 76ers for Paul George, then added the players they wanted through the draft and free agency as they get ready for training camp in the fall.
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