Kendrick Perkins' criticism of Jayson Tatum drastically misses the mark

Jayson Tatum has enjoyed an exceptional 12 months, winning an NBA championship, his second Olympic gold medal and being named to his third consecutive All-NBA First Team. The St. Louis native has proven himself to be one of the premier talents in the NBA and arguably a top-eight player in the world.

However, Tatum's recent success has come at a price. Last summer, Brad Stevens reshaped the Boston Celtics roster with the additions of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, providing Joe Mazzulla with one of the deepest teams in the league.

As such, Tatum was forced to adjust his game, sacrificing some of his scoring so others around him could thrive. The result was Tatum becoming a complete player and learning to influence games in multiple areas.

Nevertheless, Tatum hasn't lost the desire to challenge for an MVP in the coming years. During a recent appearance on " The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon ," he predicted that he would win the coveted individual award next season.

Unfortunately, Tatum's prediction didn't sit right with Kendrick Perkins, who accused the Celtics star of being selfish during a recent appearance on ESPN's "NBA Today."

"It's simple. Selfish. Selfish. He's selfish,” Perkins said. “I'm not being negative right now, but seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others. I have no problem with a player being somewhat selfish and wanting to accomplish things on an individual basis."

Perkins is a former Celtics champion, having been part of the 2008 team with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. He saw the sacrifices his teammates had to make for the roster to work, so he understands the adjustments Tatum and his teammates had to work through last season. As such, it's hard to take Perkins' latest criticism seriously.

"I won't have the points per game that the other three, four guys will, but I think the voters are smart enough to understand the dynamic of our team, essentially having to do less scoring maybe on certain nights, but still impact the game in a lot of ways to, kind of, ensure that we win every single night; that we're in first place, that we're trying to be the best team, that everybody on the team feels valued," Tatum told the media during a Feb. 23 news conference. "It's not just about me. Because I'm gonna need everybody down the stretch. We're gonna need each other for what we're trying to do, (which is) to try to win a championship."

It's unlikely that Tatum will respond to Perkins' criticism or let it affect his approach to the upcoming season. He will still play the same way he did last year and will likely look to improve on those performances.

Essentially, if Tatum wins the 2025 MVP, he will do so while playing a team-based game and looking to elevate those around him. That's why his position as a complete player is so important to Boston's approach and why he maintains a good chance of finally adding the award to his resume.