Jayson Tatum Gets Honest about MVP Pursuit That Benefits Celtics' Championship Chase

Bobby Krivitsky | Oct 6, 2024

Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) dunks the ball against Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) in game five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images / Peter Casey-Imagn Images

In an exclusive interview with Boston Celtics on SI shortly before training camp, Jayson Tatum shared his perspective on balancing his MVP pursuit with the Celtics' quest for Banner 19.

"Winning takes precedence over everything," voiced Tatum. "Winning a championship is most important; playing the right way. But it's been done. It's possible. You can play the right way, you can dominate the game, you can strive for a championship, and be an MVP of the league. So, you don't have to sacrifice one for the other. You can do both."

In the reigning champions' preseason mini-series sweep of the Nuggets in Abu Dhabi, Tatum showcased his change in shooting form and what remains a constant.

He registered 12 points in a first-half only appearance in Friday's 107-103 win at Etihad Arena. He followed it up by putting 17 points on the board in 23 minutes in Sunday's 130-104 victory. Tatum fared 3/7 from beyond the arc in both matchups.

JT for another 3 🔥 pic.twitter.com/MQ254uKAhL

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) October 6, 2024

While the mechanics of his shot, which he's now getting off faster after eliminating a hitch, have changed, the five-time All-Star's commitment to making an all-around impact to help lead Boston into the win column hasn't.

He dished out four assists and swiped a steal on Sunday. Tatum grabbed six rebounds, matching Luke Kornet for a team-high at halftime on Friday, a contest where he led the Celtics with five assists in the opening 24 minutes.

"Everybody should have individual goals, and we're all mature enough and know what it's like to have team success, that nothing gets in the way of what we're trying to accomplish and be as special and great as we were last year and even better this year," said Tatum after Sunday's victory (via NBC Sports Boston).

"Whether guys want to make All-Defensive teams, All-Star, be MVP, you should be able to want to go after that. That means that you're having a hell of a year. That means that you're dominating. That means you're being the best version of yourself, which we want everybody to be.

"Not chasing MVP in spite of us, costing us games or anything like that, but if I'm in that conversation, that means we're one of the best teams, that means I'm playing the right way, and everybody on the team is having success, and we're going in the right path."

Like in our interview in September, it was a mature, honest answer from an MVP talent who prioritizes the ultimate team goal but isn't selfish for having individual ambitions.

Tatum wants to maximize his talent. Who doesn't? And while his primary objective is chasing championships, he's also driven by the desire to continue turning childhood dreams into reality as he builds his legacy.

While there's an outsized emphasis on individual scoring when discussing MVP cases, Tatum's candidacy stems from his all-around impact, including setting the table for his teammates to produce points, weaponizing opponents loading up to limit his output, and Tatum's commitment at the defensive end.

His MVP ambitions aren't hurting the Celtics' attempt to become the first team since the 2017-18 Warriors to win consecutive NBA titles; they're helping Boston's quest for Banner 19.