Jayson Tatum has had a crazy year. He has been through the ringer in terms of facing backlash from the media and NBA fanbase, but helped the Boston Celtics make their way back to the NBA promised land. Despite having plenty of shooting woes during the playoffs, Boston was still able to win championship number 18. For Jayson Tatum though, it did not end there. The five-time All-Star made the Olympic team, but struggled to receive any meaningful playing time throughout the tournament.
Some NBA peers argued that Tatum did not deserve the time while others questioned why a star wing fresh off a recent title was being benched. Rumors began to spread about Olympic team and Golden State Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr, showing favoritism and benching the small forward as a passive aggressive move. Still, one facet that was conistent from the playoffs was Tatum’s shooting inconsistencies. It has not gone unnoticed though as Jayson Tatum is reportedly working hard to address the mechanical issues that have been altering his jumper this past year.
Boston Celtics Superstar, Jayson Tatum, Working on Mechanical Issues With Jumper
Jayson Tatum’s Struggles Shooting Last Postseason and During the Olympics
This offseason, Jayson Tatum has been working tirelessly with long-time skills coach, Drew Hanlen. Hanlen has also worked other NBA stars such as Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Tyrese Haliburton. After working with Jayson Tatum this summer, Hanlen had some bold words to say about the upcoming campaign.
“I think a lot of people are like, ‘Oh, he’s out for revenge,’” Hanlen told ESPN. “I don’t think Jayson looks at it like that. He’s like, ‘Compare my résumé at 27 to Michael Jordan, who never won one at 27. Compare it to LeBron, who had won one. Compare it to Steph, who had one.”
Factually, that is correct. However, it is vital to remember those legends were in completely different situations at that time of their careers. Tatum was with one of the best rosters ever constructed and in a perfect situation for himself. Still, one cannot take away the fact he is now a champion. Still, his shooting will need to massively improve if they want to repeat. For context, Jayson Tatum shot 28.3 percent from three-point range during the 2024 postseason. During the Olympics, the Celtics forward tallied a field goal percentage of 38.1 percent without a singe three-point shot. Bear in mind he got little playing time during the Olympics. All in all, the Celtics have to be happy to see their superstar working on a facet of his game that will be imperative to their success going forward.
