"I have to elevate my level from being one of the top 10 to 15 players to a top-5 player" - Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum on his plans for the 2021-22 NBA season
Jayson Tatum has said that he intends to elevate his game with the Boston Celtics next season to become a top-five player. Last year, he had a career campaign, averaging 26.4 PPG, 7.4 RPG and 4.3 APG. He also featured in the All-Star team, and led the Celtics' offense in the absence of Jaylen Brown.
Despite his best attempts, Boston were eliminated in the first round of the Eastern Conference by the Brooklyn Nets. Tatum performed amazingly individually, scoring 50 points in Game 3 to hand the Celtics their only win in the series. Following his team's early exit, Tatum has big plans for the new season.
Speaking about the same in an interview with The Undefeated, Tatum said:
"I just got to be better. I have to elevate my level from being one of the top 10 to 15 players to a top-5 player. I have to try to make everyone else around me better."
The evolution of Jayson Tatum during these Olympics has been fun to watch. France switches a big on to KD and you see him immediately look to go Tatum on the weakside action. That's huge, that's trust. He goes right to work and scores. https://t.co/tQTekCtTdn
Jayson Tatum's brilliant performance in the regular season helped him earn a call to the Team USA basketball team for the Tokyo Olympics 2020. He was exemplary there, helping the team grab the gold medal by defeating some world-class teams. Speaking about his Olympic experience, Jayson Tatum said:
“It was a unique experience where we couldn’t bring our families. We were really isolated, so we had to grow closer together. It was a hell of a feeling sacrificing your summer and time from your family to accomplish something special."
Could Jayson Tatum evolve into a first-team All-NBA player next season?
Tatum is arguably one of the best young talents in the league at the moment. He has been the face of the Celtics franchise, leading the team to three Conference Finals appearances since arriving in the league in 2017. The youngster has been to the third All-NBA team, and has also been an All-Star twice.
After impressing in the 2020-21 season, Tatum now strives to become one of the best players in the league, and get into the All-NBA First team. He is coming into the season, after winning the Olympic gold with Team USA. Tatum learned a lot from Kevin Durant and other star players there.
Speaking about the same to The Undefeated, he said:
“I plan to take what I learned into next season. I spent half of my summer playing against the best players in the world. I played against KD in practice, Book (Devin Booker) and all those guys. I feel like I got an early start to the season, and will take it to the next step."
Jayson Tatum. No mercy. 😱 https://t.co/X4MFEF2lce
Tatum is one of the hardest-working players in the league. His love for the game and drive to succeed are unparalleled.
Having achieved a lot in his short career, Tatum will look to continue his upward trajectory in the league and evolve into one of the best in the league next season. If things work out well for him and he remains healthy, there is no doubt Tatum could evolve into a superstar, and make an entry into the All-NBA First team.