Jayson Tatum's modest position in the MVP race has become, as the great Tom Brady once said, "up for talk show debate." It's a topic on televisions, radio, and whatever Twitter is called this week.
It's not a talker in the gym.
"We're not just doing the media run around, saying one thing and saying something else behind closed doors. Jayson's only focus is winning the championship," said Tatum's longtime basketball skills coach and CEO of Pure Sweat, Drew Hanlen. "The only MVP conversations that we ever have are: a. eventually you'll have one if you keep putting yourself in conversation and keep impacting winning the way you are, and b. it might be us joking around."
Hanlen said those jokes are about what Tatum's usage rate would be on a less-stacked roster, and what stats he'd be forced to post. The Missouri native has worked closely with Tatum since the star's early teens and talks to him on a daily basis.
"We never really talk about MVP. The only thing that crosses our plate is how do we impact winning more, how do we finish the job that he's tried to finish for the last couple of seasons. That's the truth. Some people might think behind closed doors, they're gunning for it. Trust me, if Jayson was gunning for it, he could easily put up 35 points a night."
Tatum has charted 4th and 5th at best in the KIA NBA MVP ladder throughout this season, but his polished all-around game, and his team's dominance has attracted the recent attention of Stephen A. Smith and even West Coast foe Draymond Green.
"Clearly, the goalpost has shifted dramatically," Green said on his self-titled podcast. "Because in this guy's case, he's fifth? And they've got a seven-and-a-half-game lead? That goalpost is moving on JT. I don't know what JT gotta do. JT will not be taken serious for the MVP until he win a championship. And it just hasn't been that way for everybody else."
Uh - who saw that coming?
This much is clear: the traits that were once knocks, or at least question marks, about him now appear to work in his favor. He's not quiet, he's measured. He's not deferential on the court, he sacrifices for his teammates. He doesn't just fawn over Kobe Bryant, he's got a big starstruck grin when he meets Larry Bird, too.
None of it matters if Tatum doesn't lead the Celtics back to the Finals and perform on the big stage. That's probably why he and Hanlen continue to spend their time crunching film after every game and tweaking mechanics, even in his seventh season.
For example, Tatum's shot pocket has always skewed high, and keeping it back in its ideal position takes multiple check-ins and drill work throughout an NBA year. It's the kind of technical work that's made Hanlen a star in basketball skill development through his Pure Sweat offerings and keeps Tatum honest.
"This season, we had to make an adjustment around Christmastime on his off-the-dribble jump shots. His off-dribble jump shots were under 30%. Now they're just under 40%, lowering his pocket and tinkering that – Jayson's one of those players who's never satisfied," he said.
Listening to his longest-running coach, satisfaction wouldn't come through an MVP right now, anyway. Hey – Kobe didn't win one until his 12th season.
