This week, former Duke basketball one-and-done and current Boston Celtics centerpiece Jayson Tatum jumped four spots from last preseason to No. 9 on SI.com’s annual NBA Top 100 Rankings this go-round. Three weeks ago, ESPN released its top 100, and Tatum appeared at No. 7 overall.
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Rohan Nadkarni, Chris Herring, and Jeremy Woo compiled SI.com’s list and offered the following summary of Tatum’s prowess:
“When you consider Tatum’s height, wingspan, defensive acumen, shooting stroke and offensive sophistication at only 24 years old, it’s like he was built in a lab for the modern NBA. Tatum is everything a team could hope for and more in a young wing , and he’s the type of player who should be leading the Celtics deep into the playoffs for years to come.”
Last season, Jayson Tatum’s fifth in the league since going No. 3 overall at the 2017 NBA Draft, the 6-foot-8, 210-pound small forward averaged a career-high 26.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in the regular season. Then the third-time All-Star, who earned All-NBA First Team honors for the first time, led the Celtics to the NBA Finals.
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Five more Blue Devils are among SI.com’s top 100: New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson at No. 19, Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram at No. 25, Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving at No. 36, Nets guard Seth Curry at No. 78, and New York Knicks guard RJ Barrett at No. 89.
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