“Everybody should have individual goals!” Jayson Tatum opens up on his MVP dreams in the upcoming season 

Jayson Tatum gets honest about his ambitions for the prestigious NBA MVP honor award in the upcoming season.

“Everybody should have individual goals!” Jayson Tatum opens up on his MVP dreams in the upcoming season 

Boston Celtics Jayson Tatum on the MVP award

Many were thrilled at the end when the Boston Celtics secured a dominant 130-104 victory over the Denver Nuggets in the final game of the 2024 NBA Abu Dhabi Games. After the game, Celtics star Jayson Tatum was questioned about his pursuit of the regular season MVP award.

Jayson Tatum, not trying to stir up controversy, responded with a candid acknowledgment of his aspirations for the honor. Last season, he wasn’t even in contention for the award despite leading the Celtics to the best record in the league.

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Everybody should have individual goals. We’re all mature enough and know what it’s like to have team success… Whether guys wanna make an All-Defensive team, be an All-Star, or be MVP, you should be able to go after that… I’m not chasing MVP if it’s costing us games, but if I’m in that conversation, it means we’re one of the best teams.

Jayson Tatum said in Sunday’s presser

In what was an impressive season both individually and as a team, JT averaged 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists. Regardless, he fell out of MVP contention due to standout performances by Denver Nuggets Nikola Jokic, OKC Thunder Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Mavericks Luka Doncic.

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While fans saw him as the C’s best player, he still did not secure the Eastern Conference or Finals MVP awards and wasn’t worried as teammate Jaylen Brown took both titles. As the new season starts, he showed that he’s still one of the best with his scintillating performance against the Nuggets in Abu Dhabi.

Gilbert Arenas gives his honest take on Jayson Tatum’s NBA legacy

Most fans will be wondering what Jayson Tatum needs to do to get the same level of respect as players like Nikola Jokic despite winning the NBA Finals. Now according to controversial former player Gilbert Arenas, during an episode of Gil’s Arena, Tatum’s lack of recognition stems from the NBA’s reluctance to elevate him to the status of the league’s face.

If the NBA wanted to make him the face, they would have just gave him awards. If you look at some of the people that was voting, when they were talking on TV, they were bashing Jayson Tatum. This couldn’t have been the face of the NBA, because the face of the NBA, they’re already making excuses for you.

Gilbert Arenas said

Additionally, Agent Zero believes that becoming the face of the NBA isn’t solely based on a player’s skill but rather on the narrative crafted by the media. He went further to reference the media’s campaign to elevate Joel Embiid as an example, where media attention shaped Embiid’s rise, despite other players being equally deserving.

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Sadly, the media appears to have made up its mind about JT, and this lack of support might make it difficult for him to win accolades like MVP unless he posts exceptional statistics. And as the new season starts, a strong start from him might put him in the conversation.