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Jayson Tatum has had an incredible start to his season. The Boston Celtics star is fourth in the NBA in scoring, averaging 30.8 points per game while shooting 48.0% from the field, 36.4% from three-point range, and 86.9% from the free-throw line. He is also chipping in 8.3 rebounds per game, 4.2 assists per game, 1.0 steals per game, and 1.0 blocks per game.
Furthermore, he has led the Celtics to a 20-5 record, the best in the NBA. NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley recently shared that he believes Tatum is the MVP favorite, while simultaneously botching his name.
Speaking on NBA Tip-Off, Barkley stated:
"The MVP of the league, right now, no disrespect to Luka, no disrespect to AD - that boy in Boston right now, he's kicking ass and taking names. His name is Jayson Taylor"
Barkley's comments drew a reaction from co-host Kenny Smith, who chimed in with a simple two-worded question, stating:
"Jayson Tatum?"
Watch Charles Barkley's comments on Jayson Tatum being the MVP favorite below:
There are several deserving candidates in the NBA MVP race as more than a quarter of the season has already been played. While the success of the Boston Celtics has certainly helped boost his case, Tatum will need to maintain his play through the end of the season in order to separate himself in the crowded race.
Can Jayson Tatum win MVP and championship in the same season?
While team success is often factored into the NBA MVP award, only 14 players in NBA history have won the championship in their MVP season, with five players accomplishing the feat multiple times. Three-time All-Star Jayson Tatum, who is an MVP candidate early in the season, is looking to become the first player since Steph Curry, in 2014-2015, to accomplish the feat.
While Tatum has been among the best players in the league, and the Boston Celtics have had the best record in the league, both have faced plenty of competition. The MVP race is crowded, while there are likely a dozen teams that believe they have a chance to win the title.
Those numbers will naturally both shrink as the season wears on, however, it is far too early to proclaim any player or team as the true favorite. With more than half the season left to play, there is far too much that can happen. Furthermore, as only 14 players have accomplished the feat throughout the history of the NBA, the odds are against Tatum.
Watch Jayson Tatum's 2022-2023 highlights below:
Guess the Lakers players!
