“Some People May Overlook Him Because…”: Jayson Tatum Is Never Taken for Granted by Opposing Teams, Says Magic HC

Jayson Tatum is already one of the NBA’s most talented and accomplished players at 26, yet his incredible skillset is often downplayed by fans and the media due to the incredible depth of the Boston Celtics. However, that sentiment isn’t shared by players and coaches in the league, according to Orlando Magic head coach, Jamahl Mosely.

The 46-year-old set the record straight regarding the reigning champion being overlooked by his opponents. “League-wide, some people may overlook him, because he subtly does things and he’s not loud about it. But there’s no team walking in that says, ‘We’re overlooking Jayson Tatum.’ I can promise you that,” Mosely relayed before his team’s contest against the Celtics.

Despite being ranked amongst the league’s top 10 players in recent years, Tatum has gone somewhat underappreciated after multiple top 6 MVP finishes. Being overshadowed by his co-star, Jaylen Brown, during the 2024 NBA Finals didn’t support the forward’s case as the leader of his team either.

Even JT himself acknowledged that he doesn’t see himself keeping up with other MVP candidates while playing alongside such a skilled cast of teammates.

“We’re a really, really good team, with so many talented players. I’m probably not going to put up the same numbers as those other guys. That’s perfectly fine with me, especially what we did it in June last year. That’s the main goal, not for me to win MVP,” Tatum said on the MVP race.

Despite worthy averages of 28.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists, the multi-faceted forward likely won’t see his name among MVP contenders, especially since the Celtics have proven to still be solid when he’s absent from a contest.

But that doesn’t mean that teams around the league treat Tatum as a lightweight, as Mosley pointed out rightly.

Celtics head coach believes Tatum has been overlooked in the MVP race

Joe Mazzulla also understands that the eight-year veteran’s MVP chances suffer because of the elite talent that surround him, but still he believes his star is disregarded in the race. When questioned whether Tatum’s greatness is overlooked when it comes to the league’s MVP competition, Boston’s head coach candidly replied, “Yeah, no question. 100% it does.”

Tatum’s fellow All-Star Celtic, Kristaps Porzingis, also vouched for the for the Missouri native. Considering Porzingis has seen the most team success of his career in Boston, also winning his first championship last year, it’s no surprise to see the versatile big man heaping praise on his superstar running mate.