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“He’s Passed KD, He’s Passed LeBron”: Paul Pierce Picks Jayson Tatum As the Best American Player Over Kevin Durant and King James

Published 11/18/2023, 12:00 AM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

Jayson Tatum might be the one, at least for Paul Pierce. After years of growth and improvement, the player has made his place in the league and is breaking new records every other day. It doesn’t seem like the player is stopping anytime soon.

Paul Pierce shared his thoughts on what makes Jayson Tatum stand out among American basketball players in the NBA.

Paul Pierce shares thoughts about the best American basketball player

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In the latest episode of the “Ticket and the Truth” podcast, NBA legends Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett discussed Paul’s tweet from a day ago. This tweet mentioned Jayson Tatum as the best American basketball player in the world.

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According to Paul, the player has surpassed All-Stars like Kevin Durant and LeBron James, whom he considers among his Top 5 picks.” I think he’s passed KD, I think he’s passed LeBron,” he said. To him, the only argument for this is Steph Curry, but no one else.

The former Celtics player considers Tatum’s growth, improvement, and, most importantly, consistency over the past few years the primary reason he is the best there.

The growth of Jayson Tatum

Since being declared in the 2017 NBA draft for the Boston Celtics, the player has become better each time. Tatum has been consistent with his game while developing it in ways that add efficiency to his team. The player has also improved in various aspects, including his defense, while simultaneously making space for other players on the team.

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The Celtics forward was voted to the first All-NBA team for the second time this year and has made three All-NBA teams to date. He also holds the record for 55 points in an All-Star game and won the Kobe Bryant All-Star MVP award. The 25-year-old also has the record for most points scored in a Game 7, scoring 51 points in Game 7 against the 76ers in the 2023 Eastern Conference semifinals.

The 4x All-Star and his team are having a great time this season with their latest 107-117 win against the 76ers on Thursday, where the player scored 29 points. Tatum is averaging 28.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists this season. With the consistency that the player holds, the future only seems brighter.

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What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Shireen

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Shireen is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Throughout her academic pursuits, she has discovered her passion in the world of sports journalism. This discovery has provided her with a creative outlet to express herself and engage with audiences from all walks of life.
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Edited by:

Shubhankar Adhikari