5 milestones Jayson Tatum needs to achieve to cement his legacy

Jayson Tatum is one of the brightest stars in the NBA. The six-time NBA All-Star was one of the main players to help The Boston Celtics win a historic 18th championship banner. Moreover, at 27 years old, fans are just starting to see the mainstream version of him. While a ruptured Achilles in last year’s playoffs Once he’s sidelined, Tatum is expected to continue to be a cornerstone of the franchise. So, check out the gallery and see the five milestones Jayson Tatum needs to achieve to cement his legacy.

Maintain availability after injury

Many basketball fans held their breath when Tatum was helped off the court in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Knicks. It wasn’t a promising look, especially when the 2024 NBA champion went down with a non-contact injury. After the game, it was announced that Tatum was diagnosed with a ruptured Achilles, a terrible injury that every basketball player fears. Of course, the defending champions were unable to hold down the fort in their back-to-back bid, as the Knicks ended the streak in six games.

Historically, Achilles injuries have been responsible for the decline of various players, including Kobe Bryant. But on the bright side, the Celtics star appears to be recovering faster than usual. If Tatum wants to prove to everyone that he’s healthy enough, the best answer is to be available like he usually has been. The six-time NBA All-Star rarely missed a game during his career. And if he can bounce back from an Achilles injury similar to Kevin Durant or Dominique Wilkins, it could easily be one of the best comeback stories in NBA history.

FIBA World Cup medal

While Tatum is seen as a pillar for the Celtics, the same can be said for his future with Team USA. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Celtics star was one of the youngest players on the national team’s roster at the age of 26. Along with Anthony Edwards, Devin Booker and Bam Adebayo, he is one of the big names expected to carry Team USA into the future. But while Tatum successfully helped the team bring home Olympic gold twice, Team USA will now rely on him to bring a FIBA ​​World Cup medal back to the country.

Tatum was actually part of the USA team that finished seventh at the 2019 FIBA ​​World Championship. It was a difficult national team debut for the Celtics star, as it resulted in the country’s second-worst finish in tournament history. As one of the best young American players in the NBA, getting Team USA back on the podium on the world stage will be a huge boost to his career. What’s more, it certainly takes the chip off his shoulders.

Join the 20,000 point club

There is no doubt that Tatum is one of the best scorers in the league today. And as one of Boston’s leading scorers, he’s responsible for putting points on the board, right next to Jaylen Brown. During his career, he averaged 23.6 points per game in total of 13,784 points in eight seasons.

While a torn Achilles will force him to miss some games in the upcoming 2025-26 season, a successful return should put Tatum back on track and possibly reach 20,000 points to join an exclusive club. Accomplishing that goal would cement Tatum as one of the best scorers in league history. Furthermore, it also helps his Hall of Fame case by a mile.

NBA MVP

Although Tatum has been one of the best players individually, it seems strange that the NBA MVP award has eluded him throughout his career. Make no mistake, the Celtics star has registered MVP-worthy seasons every year of his career. In fact, he’s been a fixture in the MVP race, appearing five times. Four of which he finished in the top 10.

Winning the MVP award will easily cement Tatum’s superstardom. To this day, his fame has been questioned, especially after his poor performance in the 2024 NBA Playoffs that was salvaged by the elite play of Brown to win the championship. If Tatum wants to prove that he really is best small forward in the NBA today, the MVP award gives everyone a quick answer.

MVP award finals

Speaking of the 2024 postseason, while Boston earned its 18th championship mark and Tatum’s first ring, everyone was pretty disappointed by Tatum’s poor shooting. As a result, it was Brown who won the Finals MVP award while the rest of his teammates picked up the slack. In the 2024 NBA playoffs, he averaged 25.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game, but only shot 28.3% from beyond the arc. While defenses have naturally focused on Tatum, other NBA stars continue to play effectively despite the pressure.

If Tatum wants to prove himself as a legitimate first option, he needs to take matters into his own hands to bring Boston back to the promised land. The Celtics star proved to everyone that he has the tools to take over every game. But if Tatum can repeat that in a championship run, the Finals MVP will easily cement him as a legitimate Hall of Famer and Celtics legend.