What current Hall of Fame player most closely resembles All-NBA Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum? In a recent article comparing current NBA stars who are 25 years old or younger and legendary Hall of Famers, Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz has a very apt comparison in mind — and one that has already been made plenty of times before, as the B/R analyst notes.
“The Celtics being led by a big, strong, and incredibly skilled wing happened not so long ago, with history repeating itself now,” alludes Swartz. “In this case, the sequel is even better than the original, as Tatum is on a path to be everything (Paul) Pierce was and more.”
Buy Celtics Tickets“Tatum’s numbers over his first six seasons (22.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.7 blocks, four All-Star appearances) look quite similar to Pierce’s (23.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.9 blocks, three All-Star teams), although the former has been far more efficient (52.9 effective field goal percentage vs. 48.0%).”
"Better spacing & a reliable kickout option in Kristaps Porzingis, that should really go a long way for Boston"
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“Both stars use/used footwork, body control, tempo, and all three levels of scoring to break down opponents,” adds Swartz. “Neither Tatum nor Pierce are viewed as being super athletic, highlighting each’s pure skill level even more.”
“There’s nothing Tatum can’t be better than Pierce at, however, as he’s already a superior scorer, rebounder, and 3-point shooter.”
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