Jayson Tatum Teases NBA MVP Aspirations in New Video After Celtics' Jaylen Brown Trade

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum has his sights set on potentially winning the NBA MVP Award for the first time in his career.

In an interview released this week with Hoop Genius, Tatum was asked about his MVP hopes, and the six-time All-Star responded by saying, "You know what? It's like, why not me? So, this the year."

Tatum, 28, has been among the NBA's best players for much of his career, dating back to when the Celtics selected him third overall in the 2017 NBA draft.

Prior to last season, which saw him limited to just 16 games while recovering from a torn Achilles, Tatum had earned six consecutive All-Star nods and four consecutive All-NBA First Team selections.

The former Duke standout also had a pair of fourth-place finishes and a pair of sixth-place finishes in the NBA MVP voting during that stretch.

All of that, as well as winning the NBA championship in 2024, was done alongside a fellow star in Jaylen Brown.

However, Brown is no longer in the mix, as the Celtics traded him to the Philadelphia 76ers during the offseason in exchange for Paul George and draft picks.

With Tatum as the unquestioned go-to guy, he is averaging 28.0 points, 8.0 assists, 6.3 rebounds, 1.8 three-pointers made and 1.0 steal per game through four contests for the 3-1 Celtics so far this season.

His current scoring average would be the second-highest of his career over the course of a full season, while his 8.0 assists per game are significantly more than his previous career high of 6.0.

Tatum very well may be in the mix for MVP by the end of the season, but he will face some stiff competition in the form of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić, Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Dončić and San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama.

His MVP candidacy also figures to hinge on where the Celtics finish in a competitive Eastern Conference that will see them jockeying for position with the 76ers, New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons, among others.