Former Boston Celtics champion and ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins apologized to Celtics star Jayson Tatum earlier this week. Perkins, who won a championship title with the Celtics in 2008, advocated for Tatum’s name to come up more in MVP discussions.
“Jayson Tatum, I apologize because we should mention your name more often when it comes down to the three letters of MVP,” Perkins said on NBA Today. “We talk about everybody else, but we don’t talk about this man who, constantly night in and night out, is flirting with 30-point triple-doubles.”
This is a change of tone from Perkins, who has previously been critical of Tatum and even called the superstar “selfish” in September.
“He’s selfish, and it’s a great way of saying it. I’m not being negative right now, but seeking or concentrating on one’s own advantage, pleasure or well-being without regard for others,” Perkins said on NBA Today in September before the start of the 2024-25 season. “Here’s the thing, I understand basketball is a team sport, and I get championships have helped define a lot of guys’ legacies. I’m still called an NBA Champion to this day.
Tatum had previously been asked who he thought would win the NBA MVP award in 2024-25 and picked himself. Tatum has maintained that his priority is to win another championship after doing so last June, but that he can win a title and MVP at the same time.
The 26-year-old has consistently been a part of MVP discussions in recent years but has yet to take home the title. Through one month of the 2024-25 season, Tatum is averaging 29.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game. He ranks third in the NBA in points per game and is leading a Celtics team that currently holds a 12-3 record.
Tatum has scored 30 or more points in nine different games this season, including when he put up 33 to knock off the previously undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday. Per FanDuel Sportsbook, Tatum currently ranks third in the NBA MVP odds at +410, only behind Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic and Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
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