Jayson Tatum Opens Up About Not Winning 2024 Finals MVP: ‘They Voted For Somebody Else, Which Is Cool’

February 25, 2025

Jayson Tatum led the Boston Celtics in points, rebounds and assists in the 2024 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks.

The Celtics beat the Mavericks in five games for their 18th championship in franchise history, but it was Jaylen Brown — and not Tatum — who won the Finals MVP Award.

“It’s the world we live in, and everything is narrative-based,” Tatum told Michael Lee of The Washington Post. “The NBA has been around for almost 80 years, and there’s only six people to lead a team in points, rebounds and assists to a championship. I’m the only one that didn’t win Finals MVP. I’m the odd man out, and I’m okay with that. They voted for somebody else, which is cool. I can control what I can control. Whoever people want to vote for is out of my control.”

Tatum averaged 22.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.2 assists in the 2024 NBA Finals. However, he shot only 38.8% from the field and 26.3% from beyond the arc.

Meanwhile, Brown averaged 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists while shooting 44.0% overall, 23.5% from 3 and 73.3% from the foul line.

“I don’t really want to insert myself in things that can be debated,” Tatum said. “Did he win a championship? Yes. Did he win gold medals? Yes. Was he always a part of winning seasons? Was he first team all-NBA? Those are things that you know are hard evidence. Yes or no. Face of the NBA? They can always debate. But it’s like, I check off all the boxes.”

The Celtics have the second-best record in the East this season. They are 41-16.

Tatum is averaging 26.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists.

“Honestly, no,” Tatum said when asked whether he feels appreciated for what he has done. “If you took the name and the face away from all my accomplishments and you’re just like, ‘This is what this Player A accomplished at 26,’ people would talk about [me] a lot differently.”

Tatum will be in the Hall of Fame one day. He has career averages of 23.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists. The Duke product has made six All-Star teams and four All-NBA teams.