Jayson Tatum sat down with Mallika Andrews and bluntly told the reporter that he views himself as the best player in the NBA after Andrews asked him who his pick for the best is.
“Myself. I got a lot of respect for a lot of guys in the league. Giannis for sure, Jokic, Embiid. The list goes on, the league is in a great place. I truly do believe every night I step on the floor, I’m the best player.”
"I got a lot respect for a lot guys in the league… I truly do believe every night I step on the floor, I'm the best player."
Celtics star Jayson Tatum says he's the best player in the NBA right now. Do you agree? 🤔
(via @malika_andrews)pic.twitter.com/qmuyyxKRqF
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 20, 2024
Tatum is averaging 27.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 4.8 assists this season for the best team in the NBA. The Celtics have a 43-12 record and might be unstoppable in the Eastern Conference. They have a sizable lead in the standings over No. 2 seed Cleveland Cavaliers, with many wondering why Tatum isn’t considered in the MVP race.
Stephen A. Smith has recently proclaimed that Tatum is the MVP leader ahead of the likes of Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but it’s extremely reductive to crown the best player on the best team as the best in the entire NBA. Shai and Jokic impact their respective teams more than Tatum, and I’d even put Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic ahead of Tatum in the MVP race right now and as arguably better players.
Draymond Green Believes Jayson Tatum Won’t Win MVP Until He Wins A Title
Draymond Green recently praised what Tatum has been doing this season on his podcast. He also claimed that Tatum likely won’t win an MVP until he wins a title because the league has been spoiled with all the early success he’s enjoyed in the NBA.
“They’re talking MVP discussions, and I don’t think JT will win his first MVP until he wins his first championship. He’s almost being punished for having so much success as a team early in his career. I think he went to the Conference Finals his first five years or something like that.”
Green has made a very good point. Tatum has been a postseason regular since his rookie season. While it helped to have been drafted as a ready-made contender, Tatum has been one of the reasons why the Celtics have consistently been pushing for titles every season. In the same breath, he’s also been one of the main reasons why the Celtics have underachieved in the last few playoffs.
Tatum has incredible overall stats in terms of his playoff wins and stats, but it’s inarguable that the Celtics have been competitive even when Tatum has bad games. The team around him is arguably the best in the NBA, giving JT a much larger margin for error.
Nonetheless, there’s no disputing his status as the best two-way wing in the NBA right now. His scoring touch is among the best in the league while his defensive stability gives him an edge over many of his rivals.
Tatum might not win an MVP until he wins a title, but every player should aim for a title instead of an MVP. If winning a championship is what Tatum needs to do, it’s a good thing he’s on the best team in the NBA. If he’s MVP-caliber, surely he’ll deliver a title to Boston this year and establish himself as the best player in the NBA.
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