Back when Jayson Tatum was drafted in 2017, not many scouts predicted he would become more than a scorer. After a great freshman year at Duke, the usual draft comparisons were made with high-volume isolation scorers who lacked passing skills, such as Carmelo Anthony or Harrison Barnes. There were concerns about his ability to develop into a playmaker.
NBADraft.net said, “he is not the most comfortable playmaker on the move.” Sports Illustrated scouts were aligned, writing that, “he’s developing as a passer but isn’t a playmaker with the ball in his hands.” Similarly, Bleacher Report scouts voiced concerns about his passing, noting, “his shot selection and inability to find the open man in certain situations were concerns for me,” and “he’s definitely not a shoot-it-or-move-it guy.