About this incredibly gifted player’s status, Jayson Tatum has made a rather awkward statement.
Unquestionably the most important player on the Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum is the kind of adaptable, scalable player that makes assembling a championship-caliber team around him simple. Naturally, he has never won the Larry O’Brien Trophy, but this season, with Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday joining Boston’s roster after Stevens’ summer roster overhaul, he should have a better chance than ever.
Without a doubt, the best group of players in basketball is the Celtics’ starting six, which includes Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Al Horford, Holiday, and Tatum. They have not only the best basketball record in the league (28-7) but have also performed as such, leading all other teams in the league with a net rating of +10.8.
Nonetheless, the general belief is that the team with the best player overall will still have the highest chance of winning a postseason series. Is Tatum—unquestionably one of the top-10 players in the world—good enough to lead the Celtics past teams like Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers, Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, and Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets to a championship?
Tatum appears more assured than ever in his individual standing within the league, but only time will tell. After the Indiana Pacers game on Saturday, when asked if he had attained a “elite level of consistency as a star,” Tatum responded in the affirmative.
“I believe so. First team All-NBA for two straight years, so that’s pretty consistent,” he remarked, according to The Athletic’s Jared Weiss.
Tatum is unlikely to make the First Team All-NBA and will undoubtedly miss out on an MVP this season. All of that won’t matter if Boston prevails, though, as Tatum will have solidified his reputation as the best player on a winning team.
