Jayson Tatum has every reason in the world to be off his game after the kind of year he had in 2024.

The eight-year NBA veteran helped lead his Boston Celtics to a historic 18th championship this past June. He then went on to the Summer Olympics in Paris where he earned a gold medal for Team USA. He was even selected as the cover athlete for the widely popular NBA 2K video game franchise. Becoming the first Celtics player since — ugh — Kyrie Irving in 2018 to grace the game’s cover.

So with all of that success and attention, one could understand why the six-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection may experience a slight regression from seasons past. Yeah, but see, that’s not Jayson Tatum.

Jayson Tatum
Only 27 years old, Jayson Tatum has piled on the accolades of late, including his first-ever NBA championship.

Instead, the 26-year-old — he’ll turn 27 on March 3 — has done anything but dial it back during his team’s 2024-25 campaign. He’s establishing himself as a legitimate MVP candidate with just 24 games remaining in the regular season. Tatum, who is currently averaging 26.8 points per game, is the only player in the league to be leading his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and made three-pointers.

Chasing Larry Legend

When asked recently what’s been fueling his fire of late considering his growing list of accolades, Tatum quickly pointed to another Celtics legend. Specifically, Larry Legend.

“Wearing a Celtics uniform comes with a lot of pride,” Tatum told reporters following Boston’s win over the Philadelphia 76ers last week. “The best Celtic ever is Larry Bird, and even if I never reach that — maybe I do, maybe I don’t — you aspire to chase that guy. It comes with a level of focus and motivation every single day to be the best you can be, and wherever the chips fall, just knowing that you gave it your all, you can be okay with that.”

What About Bill Russell?

While many consider Hall of Famer Bill Russell and his 11 NBA championships to be the greatest Celtics player ever, one can understand why Tatum has his eyes on Bird. After all, Tatum earlier this year surpassed Dave Cowens for ninth place in Boston’s all-time scoring list, and is now 1,224 points behind Russell in eight. Bird, meanwhile, sits in third place on that list having played 13 seasons in Green and White.

Larry Bird
In 13 NBA seasons, Larry Bird won three championships and three MVP awards.

A Ways To Go

Bird, who as a forward plays the same position as Tatum, won a grueling three NBA championships in a league featuring superstars like Magic Johnson, Isaiah Tomas, and Michael Jordan — just a tad more obtainable than the 11 titles won by Russell as both a player and a coach. He was also a 12-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA selection, three-time MVP, and the 1979-80 Rookie of the Year.

End Of My Jayson Tatum Rant?

While some of those accolades may be farfetched for Tatum given he’s eight years into his NBA career, others like Rookie of the Year are impossible at this point. Celtics fans should take comfort in their star players’ determination to be considered among their team’s greats.

“I’ve always wanted to be the best,” Tatum said. “And (Bird) is, in my opinion, the best Celtic ever. He did it the right way, and he’s a great guy to chase in a sense.”