The Boston Celtics just took a 2-1 series lead in the NBA Finals in a 116-100 win over the Warriors last night. With the Celtics exceeding everyone's expectations by far, there has been a lot of debate surrounding Jayson Tatum's status as a superstar in the league. Tatum was even asked about what he thought about the debate and he responded saying that he doesn't know where that question came from and he has not engaged with it.
Jayson Tatum checks all the boxes in terms of his game and what you would want in a franchise player. His offensive game has zero holes because he can score at all three levels and get to his spots whenever he wants. He is also a very good shot creator and hits so many tough shots because of his length, fluidity, and athleticism. He also takes advantage of his physical gifts on the defensive side of the ball as well. Despite having all tools necessary to be one of the best players in the NBA, it feels like Tatum has not put all of it together yet to the point where you can consistently count on him to provide elite production every night. This is not to say that Tatum does not have the potential to be a clutch player and superstar. Look at his performance in game six against Milwaukee for example. He scored 46 points and was making clutch shot after clutch shot as he was the primary reason the Celtics were able to force a game seven, which they obviously won.
In short, Jayson Tatum is definitely well on his way to being a superstar and being the leader of a team that is two wins away from winning a title at 24 years old is an amazing accomplishment. However, the guys who are considered superstars are almost guaranteed to play their best every night and based on what we have seen in these playoffs, Tatum is not in that category just yet.
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