The Jayson Tatum MVP discussion is rife on social media. The Boston Celtics hold the best record in the NBA. They boast a +7.5 game cushion at the top of the Eastern Conference. To top it all off, Tatum is clearly the best player on the team. Yet, he finds himself fifth in MVP voting.
There’s no denying that some other top-tier stars are enjoying an incredibly productive season. Their averages are higher. Their individual shooting numbers are higher. And they’ve likely had a bigger usage rate throughout the season. Tatum, on the other hand, is sacrificing for the good of the team. He’s being a “pro’s pro.” He’s being a championship-caliber player.
For the most part, it would appear that Tatum will be an afterthought in the overall voting process. That doesn’t sit well with Celtics fans who have watched their team’s franchise players show maturity and commitment all season.
Surprisingly, it doesn’t sit well with Draymond Green.
“So, the MVP race right now, Joker is the leader on DraftKings. SGA, Luka, Giannis and Tatum are the next four. You know, sometimes it’s like, ‘That team is winning, and that guy is the best player and playing well,’” Green said. “Clearly, the goalpost has shifted dramatically. Because in this guy’s case, he’s fifth? And they’ve got a seven-and-a-half-game lead? That goalpost is moving on JT. I don’t know what JT gotta do.”
“Jayson Tatum will not be taken seriously for MVP until he wins a championship. It hasn’t been that way for everybody else.”
Draymond Green on Jayson Tatum not being at the top of the MVP conversation ️
(via @TheVolumeSports)pic.twitter.com/lvmFvHCH7T
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 26, 2024
Green continued by saying that Tatum needs to win a championship before he will be taken seriously as an MVP candidate.
“JT will not be taken serious for the MVP until he win a championship. And it just hasn’t been that way for everybody else, I must say. It was not that way for Joker. It was not that way for Giannis. It was not that way for Joel. I mean golly, that’s brutal. Young fella, I don’t know how the goalposts moved on you like that, but they should acknowledge it. Because those are facts.”
From all the interviews and media availabilities we’ve seen from Tatum, it appears that he isn’t focused on individual accolades. At least not this season. Instead, his mind is laser-focused on winning a championship. Nevertheless, the fact that other players in the league have begun to take notice of the difference in what’s expected of Tatum compared to others around the league shows how undervalued he is outside of the Celtics fanbase.
So, to clarify, Tatum needs to win a championship (and most likely NBA Finals MVP) before he starts getting the recognition he deserves. Considering how motivated Tatum is and how he continually looks to prove everyone wrong, that is the perfect fuel for him as he navigates the rest of the basketball season and the playoffs. Then, if he does win a ring this season, there can be no more excuses from the media moving forward. Or at least, you would hope not.
