ESPN put Jayson Tatum as the NBA’s ninth-best player for the upcoming 2026-27 season, but Steph Noh from The Sporting News isn’t quite on the same page, dropping the Celtics star to No. 13 in his latest rankings. This isn’t just a minor tweak, either. Noh placed Tatum squarely between Kevin Durant at No. 12 and Tyrese Haliburton at No. 14, and the reason for the dip is one that’s got everyone scratching their heads.
Why Is Tatum a ‘Wildcard’ For Noh’s Rankings?
Noh decided to label Tatum, along with Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Davis, and Joel Embiid, as “wildcards” due to what he called “uncertainty surrounding their health.” Talk about a bold claim! Noh straight up wrote that “Tatum looked like 80 percent of himself in his brief stint last year.” He even commented on Embiid, saying his “defense looks like it will never be back at its elite level,” but still acknowledged he’s “a good enough offensive player to be in the top 25.” For Davis, Noh sees a “huge year playing next to an elite lob thrower in Trae Young,” which is a whole other discussion. Haliburton, though, is the “biggest question mark” after missing an entire season with Achilles and shingles issues, with Noh speculating his conditioning and shooting touch might take time to return, even if his passing is immediate. This health stuff is a serious deal, but is it fair for Tatum?
Tatum’s Health Is No Longer a Question Mark
What makes Noh’s assessment even more interesting is how it lines up with Tatum’s own past evaluation. Tatum admitted that last season, returning from his Achilles injury, he wasn’t at full strength. He estimated he was only about 80-85 percent, even noting that one of his legs was still smaller than the other. That’s real talk, and it shows the guy knows his body. But that was *last season*. Fast forward to media day for the 2026-27 season, and Tatum declared he feels “great” after using the entire offseason to focus on getting stronger and more explosive. Even coach Joe Mazzulla has backed him up, recently saying he believes Tatum’s injury concerns are totally “a thing of the past.” So, with Tatum feeling great and his coach backing him up, that No. 13 ranking from Noh feels like a challenge. You gotta wonder if this season will be Tatum’s chance to show everyone that his health, and his game, are stronger than ever.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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