Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum appeared on the September 11th edition of the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Tatum and Fallon discussed many topics, including Tatum’s new children’s book, “Baby Dunks-a-Lot” and Tatum’s eventful summer. But they also discussed the upcoming NBA season. Fallon asked Tatum for his prediction on the 2024-25 NBA MVP. Tatum responded, asking, “Can I say myself?” This confident answer brought a big laugh out of Jimmy Fallon and the audience, but it also made NBA fans wonder if Jayson Tatum can bring home the MVP in 2025.
Jayson Tatum’s MVP Chances
Jayson Tatum has had some excellent seasons in his NBA career. He’s a five-time All-Star and has made the All-NBA First Team for three consecutive seasons. He has finished sixth, fourth, and sixth in MVP voting in the past three seasons, and this year, his odds have him as the ninth most likely player to win MVP. Even though he has had a summer full of success, according to some NBA fans, there is an asterisk next to his achievements.
The Boston Celtics won the NBA Championship, but Tatum was not the Finals MVP. Tatum won an Olympic gold medal but got very little playing time. So, if he were to fulfill his prediction on the Tonight Show, Tatum would need many things to go his way to go from fringe MVP candidate to MVP winner.
What Jason Tatum Needs to Do
With Tatum’s current play and his stock among the NBA’s best, his MVP chances are unlikely over players like Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, or Joel Embiid. So, if he wants a shot at winning the award, he will need to statistically get to the level of those players. Last season, Tatum averaged 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game, shooting 47.1% from the field and 37.6% from three. These numbers are very good, but to win MVP, Tatum would need to definitively rival, and even surpass those previously mentioned names.
However, Jayson Tatum does have one advantage to boost his MVP odds: his team. While the MVP is an individual award for the Most Valuable Player, team success undeniably plays some factor in the award. It is by no means the end-all-be-all, but if the Celtics were to dominate the regular season, similar to last year, with Tatum stepping up and having a career year, it would certainly boost his chances.
But having a team as talented as the Boston Celtics also has its drawbacks when it comes to winning an individual award. For Tatum to win MVP, there will need to be a balance of team success and Tatum stuffing the stat sheet. This may take away from other players like Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, but if Tatum wants to win MVP, he will need to solidify himself as the franchise player.
Final Thoughts
A Jayson Tatum MVP in 2025 is not out of the realm of possibility. But, for it to happen, the Celtics will need to finish at or near the top of the Eastern Conference and Tatum will have to be the man every night. Not just on most nights. If Tatum wants to win the MVP, he will need to assert himself with the top names in the NBA.
But, at the end of the day, most Boston Celtics fans would take team success over individual. For Celtics fans, it did not matter who won Finals MVP between Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, just that the Celtics won the NBA Finals. And that team mentality should take precedence if the Celtics want to repeat. A Jayson Tatum MVP would be great if it happened, but it would not take value over another championship in Boston.
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