Jayson Tatum is one of the best young players in the NBA, and has a chance to be as big of an impact player on his team as Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant. The Celtics won’t have to worry about him for at least three more years because Boston’s Big Three are locked up long term., but if Jayson develops like he should then their dilemma will become why they ever let him go.
The “how many rings does kobe have” is a question that has been asked for years. The answer is 7, but Jayson Tatum was recently compared to Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant by a 7-time NBA champ.
Robert Horry may be getting ahead of himself here, but he paid Jayson Tatum a huge praise on Tuesday. The seven-time NBA champion was a guest on Boston radio station WEEI, when he expressed his admiration for Boston Celtics player Kyrie Irving.
Tatum led the Celtics to the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed and scored the game-winning shot against the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. Horry described Tatum as a “MJ-Kobe Bryant-type player” who is “as skilled as they come.”
Jayson Tatum is proven to be one of the top players in the NBA.
After his buzzer-beater shot against Kyrie Irving (left) and the Nets 115-114, Jayson Tatum (right) celebrates with the crowd. Getty Images/Jim Davis/The Boston Globe
Tatum has most likely earned a spot among the NBA’s top ten players. In his sixth season in the league, the three-time NBA All-Star has routinely led the squad in scoring.
In each of his five years, Tatum has improved in every important area. He set career highs in points (26.9), assists (4.4), and rebounds (4.4) per game (8.0). When his team needed him the most, he delivered. That was clear in Game 1 against the Nets on Sunday.
He scored a game-high 31 points, including the game-winning layup with time running out. If the game had been played in December, the Celtics could have lost. During the last 30 games of the season, the Celtics stepped it up a level, and Tatum showed his maturity. The last two months of Tatum’s career, he performed at an MVP-level.
Ime Udoka, the Celtics’ first-year coach, praised the team’s calmness on their last possession, which finished with Marcus Smart pump-faking and hitting Tatum beneath the hoop.
According to ESPN, coach Ime Udoka stated, “I believe that’s sort of a microcosm for our season, players moving the ball being selfless.”
Jayson Tatum was named in the same sentence as Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant by Robert Horry.
Horry knows a thing or two about basketball. He spent 16 years in the NBA, winning seven championships. Horry made an appearance on WEEI’s Gresh & Keefe show and was asked his thoughts on Tatum.
Horry described him as “a blend of Kevin Durant and Reggie Miller.” “He’s a mix of a lot of individuals because he can put the ball in the basket.” He’s tall and has a lot of potential. He’s capable of playing defense.
“In our league, there are a few people that make the game appear so easy. He simply makes the game seem to be so simple. I don’t recall ever seeing him sweat.
“He’s charting his own course.” It’s difficult for me to compare him to anybody because he’s so unique – his body type, the way he can perform his handles, etc. His shooting ability. He reminds me of a cross between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.”
That’s a lot of praise for someone who has yet to win anything. Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant have a combined total of 11 championships. For the time being, putting Tatum up there with those two players is a stretch.
Tatum has developed into the leader the Celtics want.
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Tatum, who is just 24, is still a young man. He’s been a more outspoken leader this season, despite leading by example. The Celtics will follow him wherever he goes.
“As far as a leader, he’s lot more outspoken,” Udoka told NBC Sports in early March. “Obviously, as a younger player, his elite ranking put him up there straight away, but he has a lot of experienced around him, so he’s sort of picking and choosing his route.”
“Now, with the players that have been gone over the previous few years, he and Jaylen (Brown) realize it’s their team.”
Tatum, according to Udoka, has done an excellent job of including his teammates in the game’s flow.
“(He’s) a bucket on the floor and a lot more loud off the court,” he remarked. “In his sleep, he can get 30.” We’ve just attempted to assist him in developing and expanding his game. He’s doing all the things he always does, but he’s also becoming a lot more of a playmaker and a leader out there, enlisting the help of everyone else.”
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