Jayson Tatum not named to All-NBA team
The 2020-2021 All-NBA teams were 2020-21 All-NBA teams: First: Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Kawhi Leonard Second: Chris Paul, Damian Lillard, Joel Embiid, Julius Randle, LeBron James Third: Kyrie Irving, Bradley Beal, Rudy Gobert, Jimmy Butler, Paul George
Tatum would have been eligible as a forward, but was not among the top six in the game, according to media voting. Kawhi Leonard and Giannis Antetokounmpo were named to the first team, LeBron James and Julius Randle the second team, and Paul George and Jimmy Butler the third team. According to Jayson Tatum was the top vote getter (69 points) among players who did not make an All-NBA team.
Due to an incentive clause in the contract extension he signed before the season, Tatum could have made an extra $32 million next year had he been named to one of the All-NBA teams. He’s currently set to earn $28.1 million in 2021-2022.
Despite dealing with COVID early in the season, Tatum managed to post career numbers nearly across the board in his fourth year in the league. That included averaging 26.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. He shot 45.9 percent from the floor, which was second only to his rookie year – although he took twice as many shots this season as he did back then.
In addition to this statistical accolades, Tatum was named an All-Star for the second time, and started the game for the first time in his career. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week three times, and tied the Celtics’ single-game scoring record with a 60-point performance late in the year against the San Antonio Spurs.
Was all of that enough to earn him a spot on an All-NBA team? That will likely be an intense debate that’s best served for Twitter. But the good news for Celtics’ fans is whether the voters rewarded it or not, Tatum is still a young player who is continuously getting better.
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Alex Barth is a writer and 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. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.
