The NBA's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is one of the most prestigious awards in basketball, and it is given to the best player in the league. Will Jayson Tatum win the MVP this year? While he's currently in the conversation for the award, there are other contenders in the mix.

One of the things Tatum has going for him is his efficiency on the court. He's averaging over 30 points per game, which is an impressive feat, but his stats may not be as eye-popping as some of his competitors. However, his rebounds and assists have been steadily increasing over his six-year career, which will help him stand out in the MVP race.

Another thing Tatum has going for him is that he's the best player on a top-three NBA team. The Boston Celtics are NBA title frontrunners and are running away from the rest of the Eastern Conference. A player averaging 30 points for a team with the NBA’s best record deserves real consideration for MVP. MVP winners lead their teams to 1 seeds in the postseason at about a 75% clip over the last 40 years, and 13 of the last 17 winners have ranked top-5 in scoring the season they earned the crown. Tatum checks both of those boxes, and he has a storyline that can help him stand out as well.

Given it’s a media vote, there’s always going to need to be a storyline with the MVP winner, and Tatum has it: Leads the most storied franchise in league history to the NBA Finals at age 23, comes up just short against a dynasty in the Warriors, and bounces back with an historic campaign.

The 24-year-old Tatum is right in the MVP-winning sweet spot, and he has been playing at an elite level. However, the competition is stiff, with players like Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo all vying for the award as well. Jokic is a two-time reigning champion and the frontrunner at the halfway mark, while Doncic's do-it-all effort in Dallas has him in the race, and another two-time winner in Giannis Antetokounmpo isn't far behind.

In conclusion, while Tatum is in the running for the MVP award, the competition is fierce. However, he has several factors in his favor, including his team's success, his efficiency, and his steadily improving all-around game. If he continues to perform at a high level and leads the Celtics to a strong regular-season finish, he could make a legitimate case for the award.