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Draymond Green has had a hot take on Jayson Tatum's chances of winning NBA MVP this year. Tatum is one of the top candidates for the award this season, leading the Boston Celtics to the best record in the league at the All-Star break. Green reckons the Celtics star is being punished for his team being successful early in his career.
In the All-Star pregame show on TNT, Green and Taylor Rooks discussed the chances of Tatum taking home the Michael Jordan MVP award for the first time in his career.
The Golden State Warriors star explained why Tatum, the five-time All-Star, has not won an MVP despite his brilliance.
"I don't think Jayson Tatum will win his first MVP until he wins his first championship," Green said.
"He's almost being punished for having so much success as a team early in his career. I think he went to the Conference Finals in his first five years or something like that. ... It's like they don't respect it quite where they should. I think it's unfair."
Jayson Tatum has not missed the playoffs in his career since coming into the NBA in 2017. He has been to the Conference Finals four times and one NBA Finals, in 2022, when the Boston Celtics lost to the Golden State Warriors.
The 25-year-old superstar has only been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs once, in 2021. They had a tough season that year, finishing seventh in the East, losing to the Brooklyn Nets in five games.
Jayson Tatum fifth in KIA MVP Ladder at All-Star break
Jayson Tatum was not one of the favorites to win the MVP heading into the season.
Joel Embiid established himself early as the favorite followed by Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic. The three remained the top three favorites to take home the award until Embiid went down with an injury and is no longer eligible to win it.
Jokic is the current favorite to win his third MVP, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo have overtaken Doncic in the latest KIA MVP ladder. SGA has the Thunder playing like championship contenders, while Antetokounmpo continues to lead the Bucks.
Tatum sits fifth in the KIA MVP power rankings at the All-Star break. The Celtics have the best record in the NBA, but it seems like he's not getting a lot of credit due to the depth of his team.
Tatum has great teammates like Jaylen Williams, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White.
