Top 5 NBA players who could win the scoring title and the championship in the same season
Winning the NBA scoring title and championship in the same season is an incredibly difficult thing to do. LeBron James, a notable name in the GOAT debate, has never achieved this feat in his 18-year stint.
In league history, only five players have won the NBA scoring title and the championship in the same season. Shaquille O'Neal is the most recent such player, following his 29.7 points per game in the 1999-00 season. He was unstoppable that year, winning the scoring title, regular-season MVP and NBA championship, and was also awarded the Finals MVP.
Meanwhile, Michael Jordan has achieved both accolades a record six times. He has also won the most scoring titles, his first seven coming in consecutive seasons between 1987 and 1993.
While no active player has achieved this feat, there is a high probability it might soon happen. That's primarily due to the rise of superteams and NBA rules favoring offensive players.
On that note, here are the top five NBA players who stand the best chance of winning the scoring title and the championship in the same season.
#5 Jayson Tatum
The Boston Celtics selected Jayson Tatum in the 2017 NBA draft, and he has since then proved to be the right choice. As things stand, he is their best chance of winning their long-awaited 18th championship.
Since Tatum's arrival, the Boston Celtics have not missed the NBA playoffs. The Celtics were close to missing out on the playoffs in the 2020-21 season. But Tatum's impressive 50-point game guaranteed them a spot in the postseason through the play-in tournament. However, they were eliminated in the first round by the Brooklyn Nets.
Expecting Tatum to single-handedly carry the Celtics to a championship in the 2021-22 NBA season is a monumental ask. Although the franchise made some big moves in the offseason, their lineup is still not formidable enough to take on multiple superteams in the league.
However, the Cs stand a great chance in the coming years, as the 22-year-old is likely to develop into an elite scorer, perhaps as effective as Kevin Durant. He ended the 2020-21 NBA season ranked 12th in the scoring leaderboard; Tatum averaged 26.4 points and shot 45.9% from the field.
It's only a matter of time before Tatum leads the league in scoring, as he has continued to improve year after year, and has age on his side.
#4 Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic is an absolute terror in offense, and is well on his way to taking over the NBA. Pundits believe he will could the face of the NBA after LeBron James' retirement. Despite spending only three seasons in the league, he has asserted his dominance early on, and found his way to the cover of NBA 2k22.
Winning a championship might not be in the books for Doncic, as the Dallas Mavericks are yet to surround him with the right supporting cast. However, his attempt to secure the NBA scoring title could start as early as the 2021-22 season.
Doncic could blossom into an elite talent who will take the league by storm. In the 2021 NBA playoffs, he led the scoring with 35.7 points, despite his team's first-round exit. He has shown that he can perform at the highest level; all he needs is a solid support system.
The 21-year-old Doncic finished sixth in the 2020-21 scoring leaderboard averaging 27.7 points. Although it was a dip compared to his 2019-20 numbers, his 2021 playoff run showed he can stuff the stat sheet.
Also Read: What is Luka’s Net Worth in 2021?