After the Boston Celtics traded this year’s top overall pick and settled for the third selection instead, many wondered what made them decide on that, as Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball are very talented players. However, when Jayson Tatum made his debut for the C’s during the Summer League, he silenced a lot of the team’s doubters with solid performances, showcasing his brilliant all-around game.
The former Duke Blue Devil has received high praises for the way he played, and also gave the Boston faithful more reason to be excited about their team’s future. Recently, Tatum was named by Sports Illustrated, via a piece made by Deante Prince, as the rookie who is most likely to succeed throughout his NBA career.
“There are players with glitzier games and bigger shoe contracts, but few are more versatile than Jayson Tatum, who flashed the full range of his talents at Summer League. He’s been called Paul George Lite before, but the comparison feels more apt now. Obviously that projection hinges on how he develops. In Boston, though, he will have the luxury of being brought along slowly. Celtics president Danny Ainge coveted Tatum so much that one has to believe his future in Boston will be a bright one.”
This definitely says a lot about how impressed scouts and even basketball analysts were about Tatum’s stint in the Summer League. Even with some concerns from the Celtics supporters about having a logjam in their small forward rotation, the 19-year-old has shown that he is versatile enough to play both the three and four positions, which will allow him to have more playing time.
The addition of Gordon Hayward, Marcus Morris, and Tatum to the Beantown team has already made them the favorites to win the Eastern Conference in the eyes of many. But the true test will begin once the regular season starts.