Locked On Celtics – Payton Pritchard's FUTURE | Jayson Tatum's RETURN | BEST Celtics Handles

Host: John Karalis (with guest Tom Westerholm)
Date: September 19, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of the Locked On Celtics podcast features another round of "Flashcard Friday," in which host John Karalis and guest Tom Westerholm tackle a rapid-fire list of Celtics and basketball topics sourced from listener submissions. With training camp and media day just around the corner, this loose, conversational episode covers the future for Payton Pritchard, looks ahead to Jayson Tatum's injury return, and debates the best ball-handlers in Celtics history, among other fun stories and memories from years covering the team.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Payton Pritchard's Future (04:32–10:00)

• Career Arc & Longevity

  • John and Tom discuss the relatively short NBA lifespan of smaller guards like Payton Pritchard and temper expectations for his long-term place in Boston or beyond.

    • John Karalis: “Small guards like Payton don't last as long in the league. So...enjoy what you got now, because this is the best we’re going to get and it’s going to be great.” (04:32)
    • Predicts Pritchard’s peak may be “Sixth Man of the Year” in the upcoming season, but doubts he’ll have a long career in his 30s.

  • Tom Westerholm: Adds a positive spin, noting Pritchard’s skill, not just speed, and outstanding shooting, predicting he "sticks around longer than some small guards" and will be “remembered really, really fondly in Boston.”

    • “That guy was just a hooper...Hit a half-court shot in the NBA Finals.” (06:43)

• Coaching or AAU Future

  • Both hosts see Pritchard as a classic “basketball lifer”:
    • John Karalis imagines a post-playing career as a passionate college coach, possibly back at Oregon.
      • “I think Payton Pritchard could become a Hall of Fame college basketball coach...Go back to Oregon, coach the Ducks, win three national titles.” (07:48)
    • Tom Westerholm pitches an AAU program or high school angle, highlighting Pritchard’s love for pickup and youth basketball. (09:08–09:49)
    • They agree: His post-career is certain to be rooted in “the purest form of basketball.”

2. Retrospective: "The Jays" (10:06–14:49)

• Brief comedic confusion about whether the listener’s flashcard about “The Jays” referenced the podcast’s own history or the Jayson Tatum/Jaylen Brown era.
• Podcast Origins Story: John recounts the journey of Locked On Celtics:
  • Started in 2017 with J. King, then joined the nascent Locked On Podcast Network.
  • John ultimately became the solo host after J. and Sam Packard left for other opportunities.
    • “So Jay and Packard were like, yeah, we’re leaving to go do that. And I did. I took over this podcast myself ... been doing it, you know, as the primary person ever since.” (14:16)
  • Tom describes his own roots at Celtics Town, then Mass Live, before joining the pod.
• The hosts joke that the real retrospective on Jayson and Jaylen’s careers is “not needed yet,” since their Celtics story is far from over.

3. Best Handles in Celtics History (17:45–22:21)

• Kyrie Irving is immediately eliminated for the sake of discussion, as he’s the obvious answer.
• Top Contenders:
  • Tom Westerholm: “I think number two is actually pretty easy. It’s Rondo, right?” (17:45)
    • Praises Rondo’s shifty, creative, purposeful handle and basketball IQ (“so shifty, quick thinking...not just flair but impact”).
  • John Karalis: Offers a thoughtful historic perspective for Bob Cousy as an “honorable mention.”
    • “The rules back then were very specific. You could only bounce the ball from the top...Yet somehow he dribbled so much better than everybody else. If he was born in 1990, he’d be as good as anybody handling the ball.” (19:14 & 20:41)
  • Tom commends John’s fair take: “Your Koozie case is about as fair as I’ve heard for a guy from the 60s.” (22:21)

4. Jayson Tatum's Return Timeline (23:13–31:20)

• Tom Westerholm (23:32): Initially predicts Tatum won’t push for a return until next season, citing team context and caution around his injury recovery.
• John Karalis (26:17–29:32): Lays out a more optimistic, evidence-based timeline:
  • Injury was May 12; similar surgeries see NFL players return in ~6 months.
  • Adding a “basketball tax,” he projects 8–9 months— “February to March...coming out of the All-Star break, Jason Tatum returning, somewhere late February, early March.”
    • “If he is 100% healthy, then sitting out an extra two, three, four months means zero. ...If March 1st comes around and they say he is 100% healed...sitting him till June, July doesn’t add anything.” (29:32)
  • Advocates for return to test explosiveness, work on confidence, and retool if needed ahead of future seasons.
• Tom: Concedes, revising his stance and agreeing with John after this reasoning.

5. Favorite Moments Covering the Celtics (31:46–38:00)

Tom Westerholm

• Playoff Press Conference With Isaiah Thomas’s Son: Candid, tender moment at the podium (31:46).
• Robert Williams’s Wallet Saga: Lost wallet twice right after draft, missing summer league—Tom enjoyed writing about it (32:41).
• Connecting with Jayson Tatum: Early-career conversation about fatherhood and road life, relating as young dads—“There are precious few opportunities, especially with the star players, to just kind of be a human with some of these guys.” (37:22)

John Karalis

• Marcus Smart’s "Stuck Ball" & MVP Chants: What started as a light question about Smart rescuing balls became a moving story about Marcus feeling accepted by Boston and the fans.
  • “He turned it into this big, poignant thing...He took that as like, people in Boston love me now, and I’ve made all these strides, and I was like — oh my god.” (33:39)
• Jalen Brown’s Deadpan Response: On asking about “nameless, faceless opponents” rhetoric—Jalen: “Your guess is as good as mine, John. I don’t know what the f— you’re talking about.” (36:00)

6. Shout-Out: Jeff "Twist" Twist (38:02–39:11)

• Celebratory nod to Celtics PR legend Jeff Twist on making the Hall of Fame; remembered with affection and humor for his behind-the-scenes role and reliability to the media.

7. Looking Forward: Last Flashcard Friday (39:11–40:00)

• The hosts tease one final Flashcard Friday (14 flashcards remaining), vowing to go “super lightning round” to get through them all.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Karalis on Pritchard: “He's not playing into his 40s...Enjoy what you got right now because like, this is the best we're going to get and it's going to be great.” (04:32)
• Westerholm on Pritchard Memory: “He'll probably just be living on Cape Cod, you know...But he's too much of a Hooper.” (07:48)
• Westerholm on Rondo: “In terms of just being so shifty, quick thinking...Rondo was exceptional. Really fun player to watch in terms of handle.” (18:02)
• Karalis on Bob Cousy: “You could not be that much better than everybody else dribbling the ball...without being special.” (20:04)
• Karalis on Tatum return: “If he is 100% healed, then...sitting out an extra two, three, four months means zero. He doesn’t get healthier when he’s healthy. When he’s healthy, he’s healthy.” (29:32)
• Tom on Reporting: “There are precious few opportunities, especially with the star players, to just kind of be a human with some of these guys.” (37:22)
• Jalen Brown’s deadpan: “Your guess is as good as mine, John. I don’t know what the f— you’re talking about.” (36:00)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 04:32–10:00 – Payton Pritchard’s Future
• 10:06–14:49 – Retrospective: ‘The Jays’ / Podcast origin
• 17:45–22:21 – Best Handles in Celtics History (non-Kyrie division)
• 23:13–31:20 – Jayson Tatum’s Return: Recovery Timeline
• 31:46–38:00 – Favorite moments covering the Celtics
• 38:02–39:11 – Jeff Twist Hall of Fame shoutout

Tone & Format

• Style: Fun, irreverent, friendly, knowledgeable basketball banter.
• Language: Light, conversational, with a blend of nostalgia, humor, and expert insight.

This episode delivers a classic loose and lively offseason pod as John and Tom riff on beloved Celtics personalities, speculate about the future, and share behind-the-scenes stories that will entertain diehard and casual Celtics fans alike.