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#3 Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum is not your regular 23-year old NBA player. He has been to the playoffs every year since he was drafted in 2017 by the Boston Celtics. In his four years with the Celtics, he has reached the Eastern Finals twice. Because of his age, potential and the roster construction of the Green Machine, he will likely be a fixture in the East postseason in years to come.
In 289 regular-season games, Jayson Tatum is averaging 19.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per contest. In the last two seasons, where he has made two All-Star team selections, the averages have gone up considerably. He is norming 24.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists in the last two seasons.
Tatum, though, is only starting to scratch the surface of his game. In the 2020-21 season, he has been on a scoring tear that was reminiscent of Larry Bird’s best years. If he is going to approach Bird-like level, his assists will have to significantly improve, as they did against the Bulls on April 20, 2021.
Ironically enough, one of the worst scoring games of his career was one of the best games he has played when it comes to versatility. It showed that when his shots are not falling, there are other ways that he can contribute. Against that loss to the Bulls, he ended with 14 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists.
#2 Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard has the lowest draft ranking on this list. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Davis were both picked as the first overall draft picks in their respective years. Jayson Tatum was picked third overall by the Boston Celtics, although he would easily be the No. 1 pick, considering how those picks before him have worked out. Damian Lillard was the sixth overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers.
Kawhi Leonard was the 15th overall pick in the 2011 draft and was promptly traded by the Indiana Pacers to the San Antonio Spurs for George Hill. Nobody knew how lopsided this trade was for the Spurs until Leonard showed his true mettle.
Of all the names on this list, the Klaw is the only player who was not drafted for his offense or current value. He was drafted for his defensive acumen and potential. On a Spurs team that still had the Big 3 of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, Leonard was allowed to develop as a defensive stopper.
It wasn’t in the 2014 NBA championship against the Miami Heat that Leonard blossomed into one of the NBA’s most devastating two-way forces. Leonard probably had something against the Heat as he recorded his only triple-double against them while playing with the Los Angeles Clippers with 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Kawhi Leonard is not known for his triple-doubles. He is known for his defense and almost robotic ability to perform at his best when the brightest spotlights in the NBA are shining on him.
#1 Anthony Davis
Perhaps no other player on this list is more capable of a nightly triple-double than Anthony Davis. Davis has been considered one of the NBA’s premier big men since entering the league almost a decade ago. For that reason, his team has always tried to maximize his skills and talents as a big man instead of a perimeter player.
Anthony Davis played point guard in high school. If he had not grown to be tall and big, he could have been a successful point guard in the NBA. In Davis’ nine years in the NBA, he has played with good to great point guards, which would greatly affect his assist totals and the chance to accomplish a triple-double.
He played with Jrue Holiday in New Orleans and is now with LeBron James and Russell Westbrook in Los Angeles. Every team in the NBA recognizes the damage that Anthony Davis can do as a big man with solid shooting and incredible defense. His playmaking has been sacrificed along the way, however.
In a game against the Utah Jazz on March 12, 2018, during Davis’ 25th birthday, he put up an incredible stat line of 25 points, 11 rebounds and 10 blocks. Still devoid of playmaking duties, Davis piled up the blocks to accomplish his lone career triple-double. If blocks were as easy to get as assists, Anthony Davis would have steadily climbed the ladder of the career-triple double list.
Guess the Lakers players!
