Elevate to Dominate: How can Jayson Tatum further improve his game?

Jayson Tatum's talent for foreseeing his own success has been evident since childhood. In a recently shared essay from his fourth grade years, he detailed his aspirations of becoming an NBA champion and winning an Olympic gold medal. This early manifestation of his dreams serves as a testament to his unwavering determination and drive to achieve greatness in the world of basketball.

During an appearance on "The Tonight Show" with Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday, Tatum was asked to predict the NBA’s next Most Valuable Player.

“Can I say myself?” Tatum responded with a smile.

MVP feels like one of the few boxes Tatum has left to check as he ascends into the uppermost echelon of NBA elite. But what can he add to his game to help reach that lofty perch?

For the ninth installment in our Ramp To Camp series, we asked our NBC Sports Boston panel to pick one thing they’d like to see from Jayson Tatum during the 2024-25 season.

(Check out the first eight installments of Ramp to Camp here.)

Tatum, a three-time All-NBA First-Teamer, already has two top-six finishes in MVP voting (sixth in 2024; fourth in 2023). His scoring dipped last season but his playmaking evolved as Tatum did a lot more of the little things that helped Boston dominate the league.

There isn’t a lot to quibble about. Tatum had his best season finishing at the rim (72 percent) and pushed his 3-point shooting percentage north of his career mark (37.6 percent last year). Some will quibble with his shot selection, and after some early success in the post last season, we’d love to see him lean a little heavier into working in that spot over the course of a season.

But, for this writer, it’s all about Tatum's evolution as a playmaker.

Tatum draws so much attention that it creates easy scoring chances for his teammates. During Boston’s dominant postseason run, his potential assists per game spiked to 10.1. He had more potential assists in the finals (10.8 per game) than Luka Doncic (9.6), and created nearly four more assist points per game than Doncic in that series.

Tatum has only three career triple-doubles, but one came early during Boston’s 2024 playoff run. By leaning just a little heavier into playmaking, it feels like a triple-double could be a nightly flirtation.

Tatum’s court vision just keeps evolving. He’ll occasionally unleash the one-hand, cross-court dart that LeBron James might deliver. And remember that behind-the-back feed to Al Horford in East Finals against the Pacers?

That’s peak Tatum. Maybe even MVP Tatum.

Here is what our panel would like to see:

Let's hit that five assists-per-game mark. (Tatum averaged a career-high 4.9 last season).

Everyone's gonna say better jump shooting, and I want that, too. But Tatum should ignore the Olympics noise and continue growing as a facilitator. It'll take the pressure off him in the long run. Plus, it's what winners do.

Become a killer in the closing moments.

People nationally gravitate toward guys who make clutch shots (i.e. Jamal Murray). I'd love to see Tatum have a few of those buzzer-beater moments and am curious what that does for his national perception.

Tatum can make all the shots, so what I'd really like him to work on is shot selection.

His field goal percentage on step-back 3s has declined in each of the last three seasons, so unless he turns that around, I want him taking fewer of them this season. I wouldn't mind more midrange jumpers and I'll be elated if he works in more of those turnaround baseline jumpers he never seems to miss.

While I want the rest of the team to leave last season behind, I want Tatum to lean IN to winning the title.

At times, it feels like JT can press late in tight games. Jayson, you are now minted in NBA lore. The weight has lifted off your broad shoulders. I think he levels up again.

More drives to the basket.

Tatum averaged just 6.7 free throw attempts per game last season after attempting a career-high 8.2 per game in 2022-23. If he makes a concerted effort to get to the rack more in 2024-25, his improved playmaking can help generate great looks for his teammates.

Tatum was an excellent playmaker in the playoffs, especially in the clinching Game 5 of the Finals when he had 11 assists. He averaged 6.3 assists per game in the postseason -- an improvement from his 4.9 dimes per game in the regular season.

Tatum's passing has improved so much since his rookie season. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have him initiate the offense a little more as a point-forward, especially if he's still on the floor early in the game with the second unit.

Shot selection.

Tatum is at his best when he's attacking the rim rather than settling for contested 3-pointers. He goes through phases where he remembers that and dominates, but he needs to be more consistent if he hopes to be a serious contender for the MVP award.

There are a few places where JT could continue to become more efficient -- catch-and-shoot 3s, mid-post baskets, and finishing at the rim. I'm going with the last one as the one I would like to see the most, purely due to an evolution of mindset.

I want him to believe he can finish over the top of people, draw more and-ones, and just convey a "don't mess with me" mentality. It's in there and we'll see it more this season.