Jayson Tatum working on improving mechanics of jump shot

The work never stops for Jayson Tatum. The Celtics star enters the 2024-25 season amid his best year as an athlete, which includes securing his first NBA title, second Olympic gold medal, first video-game cover and a historic $315 million contract.

One would assume everything is rosy-rosy for Tatum. However, the eighth-year forward from Duke is apparently unhappy with the mechanics of his jump shot. 

According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, Tatum has been "doing two-a-days" in the offseason with skills coach Drew Hanlen and physical therapist Nick Sang to address a mechanical issue in his jumper. The report added that Tatum has been in the Celtics gym as early as six in the morning to work with Hanlen.

"I think a lot of people are like, 'Oh, he's out for revenge,'" Hanlen told ESPN about Tatum. "I don't think Jayson looks at it like that. He's like, 'Compare my resume at 27 to Michael Jordan, who never won one at 27. Compare it to LeBron [James], who had won one. Compare it to Steph [Curry], who had one.'"

While it's incorrect to suggest that Tatum's jump shot is flawed, the star forward did struggle with his three-point percentage in the 2024 NBA playoffs (.283) and the Paris Olympics (0-of-1 from three). During the NBA Finals against the Mavericks, Tatum shot a paltry 38 percent from the field and 26 percent from three but found other ways to impact games, specifically with his defense and playmaking.  

Tatum showed a lot of maturity in taking a backseat to Jaylen Brown — the Eastern Conference Finals and Finals MVP — when his jump shot was not connecting in the postseason. His poise to do whatever it entailed to win earned him the praise of the team's president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens. 

"Jayson, I thought, handled everything like a total pro and champ and put team first and won his second gold medal right after winning his NBA championship," Stevens told ESPN. "I also think that those guys will take any motivation that they can get to work and get better."

Will Tatum's tweaked jump shot help him capture his first MVP in the 2024-25 season? The Celtics star declared his desire to win the accolade during his appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" recently.

Tatum enters the season with the ninth-shortest odds to win MVP, per BetMGM.