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Kobe Bryant’s “Frenemy” Makes a Bold Claim on Jayson Tatum Being at Par With Kevin Durant Some Day in His Career

Published 06/08/2022, 2:02 AM EDT

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via Reuters

At the beginning of the NBA season, no one saw the Finals matchup we have today. The Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics were somehow able to fight off all the rivals and are now the last two teams standing. However, the Warriors had the experience, making their 6th Finals in eight years.

On the other hand, Boston was new to the game and rose in the second half of the season. And a major reason was their All-Star Jayson Tatum playing like an MVP. Recently, Tracy McGrady spoke about Tatum and said he could be someone like Kevin Durant.

In his young NBA career, Tatum has quickly become one of the most skilled scorers in the league. Leading the Celtics to the NBA Finals, he has been outstanding throughout the playoffs and the regular season.

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He has also emerged as an impressive playmaker. Despite shooting poorly in his Finals debut, Tatum broke the record for the most assists with 13.

USA Today via Reuters

With small improvements coming in quickly, it is no surprise that the Celtics All-Star has a bright future ahead of him. However, T-Mac believes he could be as good as the Slim Reaper in the NBA.

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Is Jayson Tatum the next MVP?

As far as his NBA career goes, Tatum has become the face of the Boston Celtics. Taking the lessons of his idol Kobe Bryant, Tatum has excelled in his game and keeps learning every step of the way. But even now, he is nowhere near his ceiling.

Looking at the room he has left to improve, his development could be scary for the league. And McGrady is one to agree. In an interview, he expressed his opinion and said JT could be on the level of Kevin Durant.

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He said: “Well, I think he can be really good. I mean, we talking KD status. Like I think the kid has the potential to be that good. He’s already showing glimpses of that in his young NBA career. I think he has the ability to win multiple championships, be the MVP of the NBA, I think he has that ability.”

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At just 24, Tatum is already one of the top players in the entire league. This season, he even improved his defensive side and helped Boston become the best defensive team in the league. If that wasn’t enough, he put up some historic performances through these playoffs.

Notably, he showed up in both Game 7s for the Celtics in these playoffs and helped them reach the NBA Finals. Averaging 26. 3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 6.1 assists in the playoffs, Tatum isn’t backing down from anyone.

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Looking to emulate his idol’s achievements, Tatum surely has the Mamba Mentality. In addition, earning praise from McGrady, who was one of the finest scorers of a basketball, is a serious testament to his hard work.

Now with an NBA title in his sights, do you think Tatum will take the Celtics all the way? Let us know your views in the comments below.

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Written by:

Anuj Talwalkar

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Anuj Talwalkar is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He is a student studying at NM College in Mumbai, aspiring to pursue sports management to follow his love for sports. Anuj started following the NBA last year, and he loves to combine his passion for writing with his understanding of basketball.
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Edited by:

Veer Badani