5 milestones Jayson Tatum needs to achieve to cement his legacy

Jayson Tatum is one of the brightest stars in the NBA. The six time NBA All-Star was one of the main players who helped the Boston Celtics capture the historic 18th championship banner. Moreover, at 27 years old, fans are only starting to see his prime version. While a ruptured Achilles in last year’s playoffs sidelined him, Tatum is still expected to be a franchise cornerstone. So, check out the gallery tol take a look at five milestones Jayson Tatum needs to achieve to cement his legacy.

Maintain availability post-injury

A lot of basketball fans held their breath when Tatum was helped off the court in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks. It was not a promising look, especially when the 2024 NBA champion fell due to a non-contact injury. After the game, it was announced that Tatum was diagnosed with a ruptured Achilles, a dreaded injury that every basketball player fears. Naturally, the defending champions failed to hold the fort in their back-to-back bid, as the Knicks finished the series in six games.

Historically, injuries to the Achilles have been responsible for the decline of various players, including Kobe Bryant. But on the bright side, it looks like the Celtics star is recovering faster than usual. If Tatum wants to prove to everyone that he’s healthy enough, being available like he usually was is the best answer. The six-time NBA All-Star has rarely missed games throughout his career. And if he can bounce back from an Achilles injury similar to the likes of Kevin Durant or Dominique Wilkins, it’d easily be one of the best comeback stories in NBA history.

FIBA World Cup medal

While Tatum is seen as a pillar for the Celtics, the same can be said about his future with Team USA. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Celtics star was one of the youngest players in the national team roster at 26 years old. Alongside Anthony Edwards, Devin Booker, and Bam Adebayo, he’s one of the big names who are expected to carry Team USA into the future. But while Tatum successfully helped the team bring home Olympic gold twice, Team USA will now be leaning on him to bring a FIBA World Cup medal back into the country.

Tatum was actually a part of Team USA’s team that finished seventh at the 2019 FIBA World Cup. It was a rough national team debut for the Celtics star, as it resulted in the country’s second worst finish in tournament history. As one of the best young American players in the NBA, bringing Team USA back into the podium at the world stage will be a huge boost for his career. Furthermore, it certainly takes the chip off of his shoulder.

Join 20K points club

There’s no question that Tatum is one of the best scorers in the league today. And as one of the main gunners for Boston, he is responsible for putting the points on the board, just next to Jaylen Brown. Throughout his career, he has averaged 23.6 points per game, scoring a total of 13,784 points in eight seasons.

While a ruptured Achilles will force him to miss some games in the upcoming 2025-26 season, a successful return should put Tatum back on the right track to possibly score 20,000 points to join the exclusive club. Reaching that mark would cement Tatum as one of the best scorers in league history. Furthermore, it also helps his Hall of Fame case by a mile.

NBA MVP

Although Tatum has been one of the best players individually, it seems odd that the NBA MVP Award has eluded him throughout his career. Make no mistake, the Celtics star has registered MVP-worthy seasons every year of his career. In fact, he has been a fixture in the MVP race, appearing five times. Four of which saw him finish inside the top 10.

Winning the MVP Award will easily cement Tatum’s superstardom. Until this day, his stardom has been questioned, especially after his subpar performance in the 2024 NBA Playoffs that was salvaged by the elite play of Brown to win the championship. If Tatum wants to prove that he is indeed the best small forward in the NBA today, an MVP Award gives everyone a quick answer.

Finals MVP award

Speaking of the 2024 postseason, while Boston did win the 18th championship banner and Tatum’s first ring, everyone was quite disappointed in Tatum’s poor shooting. As a result, it was Brown who claimed the Finals MVP Award, while other teammates picked up the slack. In the 2024 NBA Playoffs, he averaged 25.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game but only converted 28.3% from beyond the arc. Although defenses naturally focused on Tatum, other NBA stars continue to play efficiently despite the pressure.

If Tatum wants to prove that he is a legitimate first option, he must take matters into his own hands to lead Boston back into the promised land. The Celtics star has proved to everyone that he has the tools to take over any game. But if Tatum can replicate that in a championship run, a Finals MVP will easily cement him as a legitimate Hall of Famer and Celtics legend.

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