The 2024 NBA All-Star Game marked a historic moment for the Boston Celtics as it brought together two generations of basketball excellence: Celtics legend Larry Bird and current All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum. Despite their significant impact on the franchise, the event marked the first-ever meeting between the two iconic figures.

Reflecting on the encounter, Tatum expressed his admiration for Bird, describing it as an honor to finally meet the Boston icon. He was taken aback when Bird expressed his anticipation of meeting him, highlighting the mutual respect shared between the two players.

“I got a chance to go meet him and tell him how much of an honor it was to meet him,” said Tatum via The Athletic’s Jared Weiss. “He told me he was looking forward to meeting me. So that was crazy to hear him say that.”

“He’s a lot taller than I thought he was,” added the St. Louis native, who is no short man himself at 6-foot-8 officially.

Tatum humorously noted the surprise of discovering Bird’s height in person, despite knowing his stature as a towering figure in Celtics history. Standing at 6-foot-8 himself, Tatum recognized Bird’s towering presence both on and off the court.

“But obviously what he means to the game, what he means to the city of Boston and the Celtics, he’s the ultimate Celtic,” said Tatum of meeting Larry Legend.

Acknowledging Bird’s unparalleled contributions to the game and the Celtics organization, Tatum emphasized Bird’s status as the epitome of Celtic pride and excellence. Despite the inevitable comparison as Tatum inches closer to breaking Bird’s records, the young forward views Bird as an inspirational figure and a worthy role model as he continues to make his mark in Celtics history.