Celtics' Jayson Tatum Told People He Wanted to Win ASG MVP in Debut of Signature Shoe

The debut of Jayson Tatum's signature Jordan Brand shoe could not have gone better.

Tatum wore his new shoe for the first time during Sunday's All-Star Game, winning MVP after dropping a game-high 55 points to lead Team Giannis to a 184-175 victory over Team LeBron. Speaking to reporters after the game, Tatum admitted he wanted to capture the MVP to coincide with the shoe release.

"I told my coaches, I told my friends, they all knew that I was gonna wear my shoe today. So, I had a little more motivation to play well in the debut of my signature shoe," Tatum told reporters (2:50 mark). "I wanted to win MVP. I didn't think I would get 55, but that's icing on the cake."

Tatum's first shoe will debut in four colorways with a reasonable price point of $120 on April 7. The Boston Celtics star unveiled the shoes Sunday ahead of the All-Star Game with an Instagram post that also featured his son, Deuce.

Jordan Brand has been highly selective with which athletes it gives signature shoes over the years. Tatum is only the seventh player in Jordan Brand history to have a shoe featuring his name, joining Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, Russell Westbrook, Zion Williamson and Luka Dončić.

Williamson, Dončić and Tatum are seen as the major faces to bridge the brand to the next generation of stars.

Nike's namesake Air Jordan brand remains by far its most important asset.