Jayson Tatum’s passing evolution is unlocking new dimensions

Again when Jayson Tatum was drafted in 2017, not many scouts predicted he would change into greater than a scorer. After an important freshman yr at Duke, the same old draft comparisons had been made with high-volume isolation scorers who lacked passing abilities, comparable to Carmelo Anthony or Harrison Barnes. There have been considerations about his potential to develop right into a playmaker.

NBADraft.internet stated, “he’s not probably the most comfy playmaker on the transfer.” Sports activities Illustrated scouts had been aligned, writing that, “he’s creating as a passer however isn’t a playmaker with the ball in his palms.” Equally, Bleacher Report scouts voiced considerations about his passing, noting, “his shot choice and incapacity to seek out the open man in sure conditions had been considerations for me,” and “he’s undoubtedly not a shoot-it-or-move-it man.”

There is no such thing as a disgrace in not foreseeing Jayson Tatum’s potential as a playmaking and passing wing again then. After 29 video games within the NCAA with Duke, he had simply 62 assists to 76 turnovers over practically 1,000 minutes. With 16.8 factors per sport and solely 2.1 assists, the stability was clearly tilted towards scoring for JT. And to be truthful, it took a couple of years to vary.

Into the main points

To grasp a participant’s tendency to playmake or rating, we use Cleansing the Glass’s playmaking ratio. The “assist-to-usage ratio (AST:Usg)” statistic gives a transparent image of a participant’s stability. Go-first level guards sometimes have an AST:Usg above 1, whereas finishers fall under the 0.5 mark. Early in his profession, Jayson Tatum’s numbers had been firmly within the latter.

Wanting on the numbers, Tatum was primarily a scorer. The primary shift got here after the bubble, when Kemba Walker handed over the offensive reins to Tatum and Jaylen Brown. From 2019–20 to 2020–21, his utilization price rose from 28% to 31%, whereas his help price elevated from 14% to twenty%. This was his first step towards turning into a playmaker and an offense’s major creator. Nevertheless, progress stagnated till this season.

This season, whereas his utilization price is just like final season’s, Tatum’s help price has taken one other leap, transferring him nearer to the realm of a major playmaker. For context, offensive stars with a playmaking ratio of 0.8 or barely increased embrace De’Aaron Fox, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Kyrie Irving—guards recognized for his or her playmaking potential.

With Kristaps Porziņģis again from damage, this quantity might climb even increased — Tatum has already assisted him 9 occasions since his return. As for the remainder of the Celtics, Derrick White is the largest recipient of Tatum’s passing, with 30 assists from JT to D-White to date. Over the primary few video games of the season, they’ve developed into an unstoppable pick-and-roll duo, with each gamers able to setting screens, pulling up, and executing short-roll passes to the rim.

Talking of pick-and-roll, Tatum’s potential to set screens is among the Celtics’ hidden gems. This usually creates panic in opponents’ minds and forces defensive collapses. Now that we’ve delved into Tatum’s passing stats, let’s look at his on-court execution. We’ve glimpsed his expertise in pick-and-rolls with Derrick White; now, let’s discover his passing repertoire — left hand, proper hand, two-handed, and no-look passes — from the season’s early video games.

Left hand dishes

Having the ability to ship a live-dribble move with the weak hand opens up numerous alternatives for Tatum. Beforehand, groups might double-team him and power him to retreat to his left. This usually disrupted the offense.

Now, with improved ball-handling and left-handed passing, groups take larger dangers when scheming towards his left. Together with his left, he can ship exact passes to rim runners, creating probably the most environment friendly photographs in basketball.

Whereas 20% of his assists are on the rim, 18% go to the nook—one other high-efficiency zone. The left-handed live-dribble move makes this much more harmful for opponents. The Celtics’ spacing permits the Jays to thrive in drive-and-kick eventualities.

Tatum’s newfound potential to ship bullet passes along with his left hand at full velocity provides one other layer of issue for defenses.

Proper hand and over the top passes

It’s simple to overlook how efficient Tatum is along with his proper hand—or with two palms. His improved deal with has been a game-changer. Evaluate his play within the 2022 Finals to now. He’s a special participant. Tatum generally operates as a 6’8” level guard, operating pick-and-rolls with poise and delivering exact passes, whether or not on the bounce or not.

Why spotlight two-handed passes? If Tatum can move nicely with both hand, why does it matter? First, it showcases his measurement benefit. Outsized playmakers like Tatum can ship cross-court, two-handed passes over defenders with ease.

This peak benefit opens up passing lanes and simplifies Tatum’s job. Nonetheless, two-handed passing isn’t simple — the courtroom is way greater than it appears to be like on TV. Early in his profession, Tatum sometimes overthrew these passes.

Now, he’s mastered them, delivering pinpoint passes over one or two defenders. Tatum is nearing the complete package deal as a passer. The one lacking piece? The no-look move — the final word shenanigan talent for elite playmakers.

The no look move is coming

Whereas the no-look move isn’t absolutely developed, Tatum is displaying indicators of mastery. Take a look at this sequence, the place he senses Derrick Jones Jr. closing in and baits him right into a lure utilizing his courtroom imaginative and prescient.

Jayson Tatum’s development as a passer is redefining his position on the Celtics. From live-dribble left-handed feeds to two-handed cross-court lasers, he’s showcasing a full arsenal that makes him more durable to scheme towards. The no-look move stands out as the closing flourish, however even with out it, Tatum’s playmaking leap is cementing his standing as one of many NBA’s most full gamers.