Jayson Tatum's improvement over the years is undeniable, and the NBA higher-ups agree.

In the annual NBA App GM Survey, general managers from around the league rank their favorite teams, name the best players at each position, and respond to a wide array of questions.

Interestingly enough, the Boston Celtics popped up throughout the survey results, with Tatum's name featured most prominently.

According to the GMs, Tatum is the second-best small forward in the game right now. Ranked just below 12-time All-Star Kevin Durant, Tatum received 24% of the general managers' votes.

This list of small forwards puts Jayson Tatum in elite company and even above NBA champions like LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard. Fresh off an NBA Finals appearance, Tatum had a stellar year last season. Although it didn't end the way he would've liked, the young star put up 26.9 points per game, the most so far in his five-year career.

The 24-year-old also posted his best per-game marks in rebounds and assists, as he averaged eight boards and 4.4 assists.

General managers must've taken note of the leap in his game, especially given the results of the 2021-22 GM survey. In last year's survey, Tatum didn't receive a single nod for top small forward, and Durant had an even larger share of the votes with 67%.

The jump from unranked to the No. 2 small forward in the league is impressive, however, the 3-time All-Star still had no GMs name him as the likely MVP candidate. Fellow small forward Luka Doncic received that honor, as 48% of GMs predicted him to be the next league MVP:

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Despite a lack of MVP confidence, general managers throughout the NBA seem to believe that Tatum is the real deal. His current ranking above future Hall-of-Famers and NBA legends sets high expectations for the Celtics star.

Yet, if last season proved anything, he's equipped to lead his team deep into the playoffs. The 2022-23 NBA season is another opportunity for Jayson Tatum to prove his name belongs with the best of the best.