Jayson Tatum has had a great start to his 2024-25 season. It looks like all the disrespect he suffered in the offseason is what motivated him to take over the NBA.

In two games, Tatum has amassed 62 points, 16 assists and 15 rebounds and is shooting 61% from the field and 50% from three. This statistic as a forward has only been seen once in NBA history, with Larry Bird in the 1987 season. Not only did Tatum get off to a historic start to the season, he also didn’t play a second time in the fourth quarter.

The Celtics were at their best overall, defeating the Knicks 132-109 on opening night and defeating the Wizards 122-102. Tatum sat in the 4th quarter in both games, so the question becomes: Can he win MVP if his team is so good that he never plays in the 4th quarter?

We’ll have to see if this trend continues, but even though it’s only been two games, Jayson Tatum’s name has come up in the MVP conversation and it wouldn’t surprise me if he actually wins this year.

Tatum has long been disregarded in the MVP conversation. In recent years, you’ve heard the narrative, “Jayson Tatum couldn’t win the MVP because he didn’t win a championship.” While that hasn’t been the case with any other superstar, Tatum has been held to that standard, and what’s last season happened? He won a championship.

After he won the championship, people continued to disrespect him because he was not named Finals MVP, even though he led the Celtics in points, rebounds and assists, becoming the sixth player in NBA history to do so . He competed in the Olympics, was benched by Steve Kerr, and people continued to disrespect him all summer.

Ultimately, Tatum heard the criticism of his game all summer and made a concerted effort to improve his game. We all know that Jayson Tatum has changed his jump shot, but not only has his mechanics changed, but his confidence in that shot has never been higher.

One of my favorite examples of this comes from Thursday’s game against the Wizards, where Tatum played with second overall pick Alex Sarr, crossed him and hit a three-pointer in his face.

Right now, Tatum’s confidence in his shot appears to be at an all-time high, and that will be scary for the rest of the NBA. If Tatum’s shooting remains consistent, he will be a legitimate three-level scorer, capable of threatening you on defense, hitting the mid-range shot over you, and firing you up from beyond the arc.

Tatum was asked after the Washington game how important it was for him to win MVP and he gave a great answer: “The championship is the most important thing, but it’s important to be the best version of yourself along the way .”

This leads me to believe that Tatum is not only aiming for another championship, but also the MVP award.

Is this an overreaction after two games of the season? Maybe, but Jayson Tatum should be the favorite to win MVP this season and he will put the entire league on notice.