Getty Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Jayson Tatum has been among the NBA’s best players this season, helping the Boston Celtics amass a 45-21 record over their first 66 games while playing at an All-NBA level.
According to Paul George of the LA Clippers, Tatum’s rapid improvement and dominant performances should put him in contention for the 2023 MVP award.
“What Tatum is doing is impressive. Young guy. Went to the Finals last year. He could have very well been satisfied with that. He’s gotten better, and his game has gotten better and he’s confident with who he is as a player in this league now, and it’s showing… He’s going crazy! And what is Boston, first in the East? You’ve gotta give it to Tatum, what he’s doing is incredible…Tatum is my favorite in the MVP race,” George said.
Tatum recently made his fourth consecutive All-Star appearance and is averaging 30.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game on 46% shooting from the field, and 35% shooting from deep.
Al Horford Expects Jayson Tatum To Become MVP
When speaking to ESPN’s Malika Andrews during a March 1 episode of NBA Today, veteran big man Al Horford spoke about Tatum’s recent growth and how he expects the St. Louis native to be named an MVP before the end of his career.
“People are gonna have to acknowledge him as a winner. He is gonna win championships. He is gonna be an MVP. Hall of Famer. All that comes with it. He has the work ethic. He has the drive. I feel like he’s mature beyond his years in that regard, and he wants to win, so I think people are gonna remember him as a winner,” Horford said.
Richard Jefferson Urges Tatum to Become Consistent
One knock on Tatum’s performances this season has been his lack of consistency on the offensive end of the floor. As such, former NBA champion Richard Jefferson recently used a February 28 episode of NBA Today to urge the All-Star forward to figure out how to be more consistent moving forward – noting that was how he would take the next step to superstardom.
“If you’re going to go to the NBA Finals, this is the halfway point, this is the halfway mark. So, to say he needs some rest, I don’t know how much rest he got over the All-Star break, but we do know that there was an extended seven, eight-day period where there was only one game because he didn’t play the game before,” Jefferson said, “This is part of the growing up process. If you’re going to do this, and you’re going to be an MVP candidate, you’re going to be counted on for 35-to-40 minutes a night for 82 games. He’s in that conversation, but he’s gotta get through this tough spot.”