Jason Tatum has become one of the best players in the NBA. He has made waves throughout his career, but some argue that he could be the best ever. Paul Pierce even thinks Tatum’s ceiling is higher than Kevin Durant’s.
The Boston Celtics hit a home run in 2017 when they traded down to their third pick. Choosing Jason Tatum from Duke University was a great move. He has become the Celtics’ best player in modern times, with multiple All-Stars and an All-NBA nod. He and Jalen Brown led multiple title bids for the Celtics, winning the championship in 2024.
Tatum is a very good player and he has often been underrated. In the first round of the 2025 playoffs, he reached an astounding milestone, but some people tend to ignore it. For Celtics legend Paul Pierce, he doesn’t want to overlook what Tatum did. The 2008 Finals MVP believes Tatum deserves his flower, and can surpass all-time highs like Kevin Durant.
Piercing always has a great belief in Tatum. He even called him the best playoff player in the league. It’s a huge praise from Celtics legend, but he went further with his ideas about the greatest legacy of all time.
Tatum is a unique player, but if someone wants to compare him to someone, it becomes Durant. Celtics superstars have always followed the best examples, like LeBron James and Durant. He became Boston’s go-to guy in the 2020s, so it translated well into his performance.
“He’s one guy (has more championships) we’re going to have an uncomfortable conversation he stands in history, because people don’t want to give him credit,” Pierce said of Tatum’s legacy.
“We’re going to say, ‘Is he better than KD one day?’ He makes it possible in all the ways KD can do it.
Pierce brings good points about Tatum’s future. He’s only 27 years old, so he’s technically in his physical prime. He has been a Celtics superstar for nearly a decade and has more room to grow. With each season, he improved his scoring, defense and playmaking.
It’s not outrageous to say he has a ceiling higher than Durant. Tatum already has the highest ever, with 23.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. Durant will be on a career average of 27.2 points, seven rebounds and 4.4 assists for one night. Durant has a small advantage, but they are pretty close.
Once they retire, Tatum’s history could become more appealing to some people, especially if they are staying in Boston. Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder. It tainted his legacy. That may not be what Tatum has to him.
Tatum continues playing for the Celtics. That means he’s always got shots in the championship. If he wins more than two, it can put him on top of Durant. The arguments are furious, of course, but the fact that Tatum is in those conversations has solidified him as the best of all time.