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Ranking the top 50 NBA players of the 2021-22 season: 20-11

By Corey Rausch

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 17: Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns reacts in the second half of game five of the NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks at Footprint Center on July 17, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Bucks defeated the Suns 123-119. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 17: Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns reacts in the second half of game five of the NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks at Footprint Center on July 17, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Bucks defeated the Suns 123-119. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

Top 50 NBA players ranked: 16. Jayson Tatum

Previous Rank: 13

After a season that everything that could go wrong do so, Jayson Tatum is ready to put all of the issues behind him. The 23-year-old former All-Star continues to get better and better and with (hopefully) his issues with COVID-19 behind him, Tatum can get back to being focused on the court. The Celtics have remade their roster to compliment Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Now it is time for Tatum to reward the rebuild by getting them back to a deep playoff run.

In just his fourth season in the league, Tatum continued to see his numbers improve noticeably. He posted a line of 26.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game. His ability as a playmaker was one of his few weaknesses coming into last season and he slowly but surely found ways to improve in that regard. Now, with Al Horford and Dennis Schroeder on the roster, even more of that burden will be removed from him.

Now is the time for the two young wings of the Celtics to take a step forward as the leaders of the team. Kemba Walker has joined Gordon Hayward as a discarded superstar. Marcus Smart and Al Horford will continue to hold leadership roles, especially to the collection of young talent on the roster. But this is officially Tatum’s team now more than ever before. For the Celtics to make it back to another conference final he will have to approach the leading scorer of the league ceiling he has shown flashes of.