Jayson Tatum has apparently gone through a growth spurt
Jayson Tatum has experienced a notable jump in his height, according to recent comments by Celtics head coach Brad Stevens.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 27: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics shoots the ball over Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat during the fourth quarter in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 27, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesBy Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
You forget how young Jayson Tatum is with how good he already is, so it was a tad surprising to hear that the 22-year-old has added some height.
According to Celtics head coach Brad Stevens, the star forward has grown two inches. He's been listed at 6-foot-8 for the first three seasons of his career, but Tatum is now 6-foot-10. That puts him in Kevin Durant territory in terms of height, and in pro sports an inch or two can make a huge difference.
Durant still has a massive wingspan advantage at 7-foot-5, compared to 6-foot-11 for Tatum. So we'll see how much Tatum's extra height will help his shot release. But it should certainly help him get off more uncontested shots against longer forwards defending him.
Russell Isabella-USA TODAY SportsJayson Tatum has grown two inches in height, according to Brad Stevens. (Russell Isabella-USA TODAY)
Tatum had a pretty good reaction to Stevens' comment when Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell playfully chirped him about it on Twitter. Congrats to D.J. Bean on the subtle shoutout.
Our own Toucher and Rich talked about Tatum's purported growth spurt during hour 1 of Monday's show. You can listen below, starting at 17:55.
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff or send him a nasty email at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.
