Tatum entered the NBA in 2017 after just one season at Duke and came into the league with the reputation of having problems with his shot and his defense. But as a rookie, he played his way into the starting lineup of one of the best defensive teams in the NBA while also knocking down 43.4 percent of his three-pointers.
He was considered an especially mature rookie though still a role player. That is until the 2018 playoffs, where Boston took LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals without the injured Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. Tatum dunked on James and was praised as a future superstar and one of the most valuable youngsters in the NBA.
Year two began with entirely different expectations for both Tatum and his now-healthy Celtics team. But those were not met as Tatum’s effective shooting percentage dropped from 53.8 percent to 50.6 percent. He could not really find his role and continue his development and Boston were brushed aside in the second round of the playoffs by the Milwaukee Bucks.
Tatum was all of a sudden thought of a disappointment and Boston management was criticized for not offering Tatum in a trade for Kawhi Leonard. And Team USA’s disappointing seventh place at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 with four Celtics fit right in with the narrative.
Fast forward to late January 2020 and Tatum was heading to the NBA All-Star Game for the first time, averaging more than 20 points a game as one of the leaders of one of the best teams in the East. And people once again had to change their minds about Tatum.
And if it was up to Tatum himself, it wouldn’t be the last time.
The St. Louis native has higher goals as he wants to be included among the superstars of the league – a legitimate two-way player the likes of Leonard and Paul George.
Tatum’s consistency at the defensive end in year three is one of his most important developments. Tatum was always better on defense than his reputation coming out of Duke. His long arms, athleticism and game understanding were perfect for coach Brad Stevens, who could use him in so many different ways.
Tatum does a great job anticipating passes and his rim protection has helped greatly in Boston’s very switch-happy defensive system, especially when they play without a center.
But Tatum is showing his class on offense as well. He has become a consistent scorer as he tallied at least 20 points in nine straight games between January and February for the first time in his career, including 39 points against the LA Clippers. And his true shooting percentage – combining two-pointers, three-pointers and free throws – improved every month from October to February. And his three-point percentage is 39.8 percent, which is especially impressive considering 40 percent of his three-pointers are created on his own.
One issue offensively for Tatum is attempting just 4.7 free throws a game – a low number considering the amount of time he has the ball and his skillset. He seems to shy away from contact a bit – perhaps because of his still slender frame, which could change as he builds up more mass with age.
Tatum is clearly Boston’s franchise player and he’s showing that more and more. Let’s see what label he gets next.
by FIVE Magazine #167 – Jayson Tatum – Text: Ole Frerks