Jayson Tatum Lands Top-Five Spot in NBA's First MVP Rankings

Jayson Tatum has secured a top-five position in NBA's inaugural MVP rankings. In the first rankings of the 2026-27 season, published by NBA.com's Shaun Powell, the Boston Celtics star was ranked fifth behind Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Tyrese Maxey. Powell noted that many concerns about Tatum's performance following an Achilles injury in his first full season have been alleviated.

With time passing since the injury, the Celtics, who are without Jaylen Brown after his trade to Philadelphia, have seen Tatum step up to fill the gap. He averages 35 minutes per game, including consecutive back-to-back games for the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week. Tatum's performance improvement is evident, with a career-high 7.9 assists, 6.0 rebounds, and 0.7 steals per game, coupled with a 41.8 percent field goal percentage.

He has already scored 27.0 points on average, including three 30-point games and a 40-point game against the Brooklyn Nets, which concluded with a buzzer-beating shot in overtime. Tatum's strong start earned him Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors for the second week of the season, surpassing Giannis Antetokounmpo, Scottie Barnes, Evan Mobley, and Maxey for the recognition.

The Celtics have started the season with a 6-2 record, tying them with the Detroit Pistons for the second-best mark in the Eastern Conference.