Jayson Tatum of Boston ranks ninth in a recent analysis of the 2024 MVP competition.

Jayson Tatum of Boston ranks ninth in a recent analysis of the 2024 MVP competition.

It was widely believed before to the Boston Celtics’ 2023–2024 season that team standout forward Jayson Tatum would be a contender for the NBA’s 2024 Most Valuable Player title. However, the St. Louis native is much lower on the list of MVP contenders than one might assume, according to a recent research done using NBA Math’s Rolling Player Ratings (RPR).

Based on this research, Joel Embiid (18.41 RPR) is currently the front-runner for MVP, ahead of Nikola Jokic (17.8) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (17.52). Giannis Antetokounmpo (16.55) and Luka Doncic (16.01) complete the top five candidates for MVP, following the top three.

Do you know Tatum’s whereabouts? Continue on — Anthony Davis (14.14), Tyrese Halliburton (13.97), and Tyrese Maxey (12.89) round out the top eight, following Doncic in a steep decline.

With a 12.8 RPR, the former Duke player eventually debuts at ninth overall. Even though Tatum wasn’t expected earlier in the season, he is at least in good company after LeBron James, who has a 12.76 RPR.