Jayson Tatum started the season as a huge contributor for the Boston Celtics, who needed players to step up after the loss of Gordon Hayward.
Unfortunately, the No. 3 overall pick has failed to play like his normal self as of recent.
In his past 11 outings, Tatum has shot above 50 percent from the field only twice. The drastic downgrade of play lately is shocking considering how precise Tatum tends to be with his shot selection.
Over the course of his decline, the Celtics saw a season-long losing streak of four games. The losses included match-ups against the Philadelphia 76ers as well as the Orlando Magic, which are both teams that the Celtics handled with ease earlier in the season.
While this slump is almost expected, as we see repeatedly happen in young and new players, I personally contribute some of his struggles to the birth of his son.
Having a child is a massive life change for anyone, let alone a 19-year-old who starts on the best team in the East. His son’s birth was announced on Jan. 12, and the mother is named Toriah Lichell. Meanwhile, Tatum’s current girlfriend is Duke volleyball player, Samie Amos.
The full story is still unknown to the media, but surely all of this drama is putting stress on Tatum, and the Celtics are dealing with the consequences.
In addition to the new family member, the Duke University product is still extremely young in age and NBA experience alike. Even though Tatum has lacked on the floor for the better part of January, Boston fans have to understand that it takes time to develop into a well-rounded All-Star, which is something I fully expect to see out of him in coming years.
