It was mentioned to you last week. According to Jayson Tatum, he’s currently the best player in the NBA overall.
When professional athletes brag about themselves, they frequently encounter resistance. Even the best players—and Tatum is unquestionably one of the best in the NBA—can receive unfavorable feedback from both general fans and sports commentators.
.
.
.
For what it’s worth, Tatum doesn’t come across as arrogant or boastful in his latest statement. He leads a very talented Boston Celtics team and is presently (and continuously) among the top 10 NBA scorers. With Tatum scoring just less than 27 points per game, the Celtics are currently leading the NBA in terms of record.
The four-time All-Star concluded the previous season with slightly over 30 points per game, which is more than twice as much as he scored in his debut campaign in 2017. Tatum can also grab more than six rebounds in total per game. However, he seems to give a lot of intangibles and general leadership to the court.
Tatum told ESPN a little about his thoughts over the season in addition to claiming to be the best player in the league.
I think I’ve sort of come into my own. Even though I’m only 25, I’ve been in the league for seven years,” Tatum remarked. Because I am aware of how much effort and money I put into this game, I am quite confident.
This weekend marks Tatum’s 26th birthday. He also spoke a little bit about his and his team’s journey toward the ultimate prize: an NBA championship.
“I am aware of how much I want to succeed and rank among the top. Why wouldn’t I feel secure? I am aware of my work ethic.”
With the Celtics comfortably leading the Cleveland Cavaliers by seven games in the Eastern Conference, Tatum told interviewer Malika Andrews that, as many NBA watchers believe, “it’s our time.”
In a live audio interview with basketball podcaster Kenny Beecham on February 17, Tatum spoke to a small audience before of the 73rd NBA All-Star Saturday Night festivities and the Slam Dunk Contest.
In the 2017 NBA Draft, Tatum was picked third overall by the Boston Celtics in the first round. Beecham asked Tatum about that night. Tatum talked about how he set goals early in life and how people have always supported him.
“(Before the draft, it’s tough to explain. Tatum for Beecham last Saturday, “I’ve played basketball since I can remember, when I was three or four years old.” “I had a lot of love and support around me, so getting to the NBA was never about having a lot of money or fancy cars.”
Tatum was picked up by the Celtics with the third pick in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft. Tatum has a deal worth just over $32 million per year for the next five years, with a player option for next season. In 2026, he can sign with any team he wants.
Speaker for a Generation With Goals
Tatum, a two-time All-NBA First Team player, seems more and more like a champion for a new generation when you look at his play, his drive and attitude, how he runs his business, and everything else he brings to the Celtics and the NBA.
Tatum has talked a lot in public about how important it is to be smart with money and plan ahead instead of spending.
SoFi, a financial company, stated that it would be the Official Bank of the NBA right before the All-Star Game last weekend. Tatum was named as one of the starters for the Eastern Conference team. They were happy to make Jayson Tatum their most well-known athlete ambassador.
It is based in San Francisco and is best known as an all-in-one digital banking platform. The company has found one of the best athletes in all sports to represent its brand and connect with the people who will make decisions in America in the future.
Most importantly, Tatum says that his mother is what pushed him to follow his dreams.
I grew up with only one parent, and my mom and I lived from check to check, trying to make things meet. Now that I’m older, I can make a difference and help families who live in the same area where I did.”
SoFi’s CMO, Lauren Stafford Webb, thinks Tatum is the best person to talk to Millennials and Gen Z about their hopes and dreams for the future.
“We’re excited to work with Jayson Tatum. His values are very similar to SoFi’s, and he is a great role model off the court. He is a five-time NBA All-Star and very good at what he does, Webb said.
As a way to “change lives,” Tatum said that he hopes to teach young people about the importance of money and all of their options with the help of SoFi’s $1 million Generational Wealth Fund.
“My mom taught me the value of a dollar and looking after the people closest to you. I’m trying to pass that down to my son,” Tatum said while pointing directly to the work being done by his own foundation in his hometown of St. Louis.”
“When it comes to money matters, everyone needs to be able to rely on sources they can trust.” Tatum said, “I’m excited that my foundation can work with SoFi to teach and empower our community with resources on financial planning, building wealth that lasts, and the steps to becoming a homeowner.”
The Jayson Tatum Foundation helps kids who are in trouble by giving them scholarships and running sports and training camps for kids of all ages and walks of life.
By giving $1 million to the Jayson Tatum Foundation, the SoFi Generational Wealth Fund wants to do more than just help young people in need. They also want to support the NBA star’s goal to help people form good habits that will last a lifetime.
We want to be there for our people at all times as they deal with money, Webb said. For example, making it easy for them to get started through a digital only experience is appealing to Gen Z and Millennials who haven’t been well treated by traditional banks.
She also said that SoFi is always looking for new ways to connect with these groups of people in ways that are important to their lives.
It’s the same end goal for both Webb and Tatum: to give young people “the chance to get their money right and create generational wealth through financial education, a path to home ownership, and ongoing support like free financial advice and career coaching.”