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Jayson Tatum had an incredible season for the Boston Celtics, culminating in an NBA Finals appearance, along with an All-NBA first-team selection and Eastern Conference Finals MVP award.
However, the budding superstar failed to reach his usual lofty heights against the Golden State Warriors, although it’s fair to assume part of that was due to a shoulder injury he sustained against the Miami Heat.
But now, after a couple of weeks of rest, it’s time for Tatum to get back in the lab, and begin working on taking his game to the next level. According to his long-time trainer, Drew Hanlen, Tatum will be focusing on driving and finishing through contact, and pull-up jumpshots.
Tatum embraced a physical brand of basketball this past season, using his growing frame to bully his way to the rim with regularity, although his finishing once he got there left a lot to be desired. As such, it would make sense that the St. Louis native’s focus would be on finishing through contact, and one would also expect him to be focusing on his passing ability, given how prominently the coaching staff featured him with the ball in his hands.
Beal Believes Tatum ‘Could be the Next Face of the League’
You don’t make the All-NBA first team without having a well-rounded game – on both sides of the floor. Yet, for somebody as young as Tatum (24), there’s still plenty of room to grow and keep developing your game.
According to Bradley Beal on a March 24 episode of The Draymond Green show, Tatum has all the intangibles to become the best player in the NBA, often referred to as ‘the face of the league.’
“I would always tell Jayson when he was younger, ‘you’re going to be a million times better than me.’ And to see it happening as fast as it is, is really crazy. To see the success that he has, I forget that he’s as young as he is…He’s the next face of the league, and I told him, that is your goal…You have that opportunity to be the face of the league. Don’t shy away from any endorsement, and don’t shy away from any money thrown your way. Whatever the league wants to do, do it. This is your league, bro,” Beal told Green during the podcast interview.
Tatum finished last season averaging 26.9 points, eight rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game while shooting 35.3% from the perimeter and 45.3% from the field – all why being the team’s primary ball-handler and improving as an overall wing defender.
Tatum Has Big Plans for Off-Season
Since Tatum entered the NBA, he’s been playing non-stop basketball, rarely taking any time off during the summer to work on his game or rest and recuperate. As such, it’s fair to expect the All-Star wing is going to put in some serious work during the off-season, as he bids to close the gap between himself and the league’s elite.
During an April 1 appearance on The Draymond Green Show, Tatum discussed his plans for the upcoming off-season and detailed how intense his schedule has been since entering the professional ranks.
“I think this is going to be my first full summer since I’ve been in the league. I played on the FIBA team in 2019, got injured. 2020 come around, COVID hit, and that was the shortest off-season in NBA history. And last season, we were in Team USA training camp while the season was still going on. So, there’s always been something…This off-season coming up is something I’m really looking forward to it,” Tatum told Green.
When you get to Tatum’s level of basketball, any improvements are bound to be marginal, but it’s those finer details that can elevate you to the next level. Of course, working with a trainer such as Hanlen, who is widely considered to be the best in the world, is the perfect place for Tatum to make those improvements, and hopefully, they will be on full display when the 2022-23 season gets underway later this year.
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