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When ESPN released its annual “NBA Rank” top 10 list Thursday morning, many of us in Celtics-centric circles immediately looked for Jayson Tatum.
OK, Nikola Jokic is No. 1. I’d go with Victor Wembanyama, but Jokic is certainly special. Then comes Wemby, followed by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. That’s pretty clearly the top three until further notice, at least from my perspective.
Tatum should be next, or at least close to it, right? Wait a minute, Luka Doncic is fourth with that kind of defense? Giannis Antetokounmpo is ahead of Tatum without a jump shot? Jalen Brunson had a magical run and is elite, but give me Tatum any day. Anthony Edwards can score in bunches, but seventh feels like a stretch. Cade Cunningham, at No. 8, is a bright star but still has room to grow.
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Then comes Tatum, sitting at No. 9, right before Donovan Mitchell. Seriously? I know lists like this are designed to stir the pot and spark debate, but I genuinely disagree with putting Tatum that low.
My top 10 would personally look like this:
Just seeing if you’re paying attention. Cunningham gets the final spot, barely ahead of Mitchell and Kawhi Leonard.
To be clear, this is subjective, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I just happen to disagree with the opinion of those polled.
Here’s why: Out of every player in the top nine, Tatum is the second-most versatile behind Wemby. How many guys here have Tatum’s jump shot? Wembanyama, Jokic, SGA, Doncic, Brunson, Curry (way better, obviously) and Edwards. That’s a lot, and it’s probably why he’s No. 9.
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But, how many guys in that group of nine can rebound at Tatum’s level? Wemby, Jokic and Giannis.
How many guys can pass at his level? Jokic, Doncic, Brunson, Curry and Cunningham.
How many guys can defend at his level? Wembanyama (better), Antetokounmpo (but he’s not getting any younger), then arguably Edwards and Cunningham but I’d put them a notch below.
The only guys who legitimately fit in all four of those categories, in my opinion, are Wemby and Tatum.
I’m not saying Tatum is at Wemby’s level, but he’s the only other guy who truly excels in every facet. In a weird way,…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/8-players-better-jayson-tatum-100000312.html
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Publish date : 2026-09-26 10:00:00
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