Over the summer, Jayson Tatum was able to accomplish a lot in his career, winning his first NBA championship and his second gold medal with Team USA. The one thing that Tatum has not accomplished yet is winning the MVP, and in a recent interview with Jimmy Fallon, he predicted that he would win the award next season.
On NBA Today, Kendrick Perkins was asked about Tatum's prediction, and he had a lot to say regarding the Celtics' player desires, and also shared a story when he was on the Celtics.
“He's selfish, and it's a great way of saying it. I'm not being negative right now, but seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others,” Perkins said. “Here's the thing, I understand basketball is a team sport, and I get championships have helped define a lot of guys' legacies. I'm still called the NBA Champion to this day.
“If a guy wants to hit individual accolades, I'm all for it. [Kevin Garnett] and I back in 2009, 2010, we actually got into a heated battle, which almost cost us our relationship after we won the championship because KG thought I was playing to try and make the All-Star team, and I was. I did have my own personal agenda. And the Big Fella had to go think about it, he came to me a few days later and said ‘Perk, I should want you to make the All-Star team, you should want that for yourself.' So I don't have a problem with a player being somewhat selfish and wanting to accomplish things on an individual basis.”
Can Jayson Tatum win MVP with the Celtics?
Jayson Tatum has the skill set to win MVP, but there are a lot of mouths to feed on the Boston Celtics. That perfect example is Jaylen Brown, who won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP and Finals MVP this season. Brown has become the perfect mate next to Tatum, and when opposing defenses are keying in on one of them, the other can go off. Jrue Holiday and Derrick White are also key players for the Celtics who require the ball sometimes and have become defensive guards who can hit timely threes.
You can't forget Kristaps Porzinigis, who has already been reliable when he's on the floor. If the Celtics can keep winning and be at the top of the Eastern Conference, and Tatum can still be the dominant player, he'll definitely be in the conversation for MVP.
Last year, the top three players in the conversation were Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Luka Doncic, and they didn't have the amount of talent on their teams like Tatum. If Tatum puts his mind to it, there's a good chance that he can be at the top of that list.
Follow Us
Subscribe
