Although there are many excellent players in the NBA, only a few are talented enough to lead a major franchise. Meanwhile, the list of these players gets shortened as we start comparing them to investigate the potential future star of the league. However, Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum are two players whose names are frequently brought up for discussion.
The 24-year-old remarkable player Jayson Tatum is coming off a dream season. He was mercurial during the Boston Celtics’ miraculous run to the NBA Finals, averaging 26.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. Moreover, he got named the All-NBA First Team in 2021-22.
On the other hand, he is not the only superstar in the roster who owns great numbers to his name. The under 25 years old Luka Doncic is also in the race who led the Boston Celtics to the Western Conference. Although the Celtics eventually lost to the NBA champion Golden State Warriors, Doncic was the centerpiece of the Celtics squad. He played incredibly well, averaging 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game. On top of that, he also made his third consecutive All-NBA First Team.
There are numerous discussions in which Doncic and Tatum got pitted against one another. The most recent: Who will be the NBA’s top player in five years? Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, and Jayson Tatum got picked as the league’s top players in a poll of 15 NBA coaches, scouts, and executives conducted as part of the annual ESPN survey. Giannis Antetokounmpo secured seven votes, Doncic grabbed six votes, and Tatum managed to get two votes.
Meanwhile, one of the scouts said that Tatum got chosen over Doncic because of the difference in defensive effect. Although Doncic can handle a high usage rate, the scout believes that having a superior defender is more valuable.
“Just because of the defensive component,” said an Eastern Conference scout. “Luka is a stud, and you don’t need to be a defensive lockdown guy to be an All-NBA player like he is, but having Tatum’s self-creation ability, his physical tools, and his ability to give you defensive versatility, that’s pretty special.
“Luka did a hell of a job carrying that team this year, but the two-way wing creator/scorer is the ultimate archetype, and Tatum is that at 24 years old, and just got that team to the Finals. I just like his ability to give you something defensively that Luka likely never will be able to.”
Comments