Tatum added 7 lbs of muscle over the summer. Can finish better as result

[mmmmm]

I'm extremely skeptical, looking at him compared to the other guys, that he currently weighs only "212-213".

His most commonly listed weight of 204 was from his weigh-in at the Nike Hoop Summit way way back in April of 2016 -- 2 1/2 years ago!  He was a rail-thin bean back then.   This is now 2 1/2 years later during the maximum growth rate period for a human male!

As far as I know, that 2 1/2 year-old number is the only publicly-visible weigh-in of Tatum that we have.   Any other number is suspect.

Just from a basic human physiology standpoint, it stretches credulity that he was truly still just "205" last year, especially by the end of the season.   My eyeball estimate tells me that he was probably far closer to 220 at the end of last season than he was to 205.

And my lying little eyes tell me that on this Media Day, he looked far closer to 230 than to 212-213.

But that's just my speculation.   It would be nice to have an actual witnessed measurement.   

[rollie mass]

There seem to be some pictures that show him taller than last year.

[rollie mass]

There seem to be some pictures that show him taller than last year.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

If he said 212-213, then he only gained 2-3lbs, because IIRC he said he weighed 210 or so last season. I wish athletes wouldn't lie so much because it's hard to gauge when they are being truthful. I remember him saying something about getting to 115 to start at Duke but realized it may have been too much too soon and he dropped around 5-7 from there. He looked way skinnier then, compared to his rookie season so, the math isn't adding up. I wish they would just show us the scale. It's not really important but it's nice to know, as a hype thing lol.

[knuckleballer]

If he said 212-213, then he only gained 2-3lbs, because IIRC he said he weighed 210 or so last season. I wish athletes wouldn't lie so much because it's hard to gauge when they are being truthful. I remember him saying something about getting to 115 to start at Duke but realized it may have been too much too soon and he dropped around 5-7 from there. He looked way skinnier then, compared to his rookie season so, the math isn't adding up. I wish they would just show us the scale. It's not really important but it's nice to know, as a hype thing lol.

I don't think he's lying.  I'm sure his weight fluctuated or dropped during the season.

[Celtics4ever]

7 lbs ain't nothing on the legs assuming you have strong legs which he does.   It might hurt a guy who can barely dunk it but Tatum can get up to his elbow on the rim at the least.  I would like to see him around 230 some day but do it slow so the body can adjust.

This would only be a problem folks if you have marginal athletic ability which the majority of society has but not pros.

[nickagneta]

Seven pounds of muscle mass could mean a gain of just 5 pounds if he lowered his body fat percentage. But even if he put on all 7 pounds and it's all muscle, that's very healthy.

Now is just 7 pounds suddenly going to make him a much better finisher? We will see, but a ton of his misses at the rim last year were due to trying to extend his arm and body as far as it would go and try a mostly wrist powered bank shot. He missed a ton of those and no amount of muscle mass is going to make this part of his finishing better.

I think we are going to have to see just what 7 pounds of muscle does to his psyche in finishing. That's where he needs to grow, mentally and confidence wise, not necessarily physically.

[Ogaju]

the point is if he gets stronger he will not need that move...he will just plow through the defender to the basket

[moiso]

the point is if he gets stronger he will not need that move...he will just plow through the defender to the basket

Yes, I always saw that move as Tatum trying very hard to get the shot up before the contact contact arrived.  And it left him off balance and flipping the ball up on the way down.

[playdream]

Most people don't understand when you are training it's not just increase the muscle mass it's also the increase of nerve capacity

The increase of muscle mass means the total muscle you can use and the increase of nerve capacity means the higher percentage you can use-control them

Thats why muscle mass do not equal power/explosion/body control, also why you shouldn't put too much muscle at once because if you don't have the nerve to control it will only be burden

Tatum looks like he has high increasing rate of nerve capacity(thats why he learns the moves quick and are rather strong consider his muscle mass), so even if he doesn't put much muscle mass his strengh/control should increase quiet a bit from the increasing of nerve capacity by his training

[Surferdad]

I am glad he took my advice..... he is going to be a beast finishing at the basket.

I'm not sure about that.  At 20 years of age, he's going to gain mass and weight almost no matter what he does.

hasn't there been countless players who had trouble gaining muscle mass? Felt like it took a decade for rondo to gain muscle... Brandon Ingram is a more recent example looks the same as 2 years ago

I think it depends on body type:  ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph
https://www.uh.edu/fitness/comm_educators/3_somatotypesNEW.htm

[Celtics4ever]

We will see, but a ton of his misses at the rim last year were due to trying to extend his arm and body as far as it would go and try a mostly wrist powered bank shot. He missed a ton of those and no amount of muscle mass is going to make this part of his finishing better.

I think we are going to have to see just what 7 pounds of muscle does to his psyche in finishing. That's where he needs to grow, mentally and confidence wise, not necessarily physically

I think for a rookie he did well at finishing.   The year of experience, playoff confidence and strength should help him even more.

Thats why muscle mass do not equal power/explosion/body control, also why you shouldn't put too much muscle at once because if you don't have the nerve to control it will only be burden

The nerve activation comes pretty quickly though, right.

I am the the opinion that training should be tailored to specifics of the sport your playing.   People lift slow, reduce injury but power is from speed and force exerted.   You can train all day and it might not help you if it is not sport specific.

I think he will be fine, because as a pro, he can get good trainers that know this fact.

[dreamgreen]

https://mobile.twitter.com/taylorcsnow/status/1044755734800617473?s=21

“Jayson Tatum tells me that he added seven pounds of muscle over the summer. He’s already noticing a positive difference in his ability to finish through contact.“


Anyone ready for  Tatum 2.0 now with more muscles?

Pic of Tatum at camp

Wow he looks buff now! hahahaha

7 lbs. is realistic over the summer tired of hearing guys gain 20 lbs. over the summer!

[playdream]

I am glad he took my advice..... he is going to be a beast finishing at the basket.

I'm not sure about that.  At 20 years of age, he's going to gain mass and weight almost no matter what he does.

hasn't there been countless players who had trouble gaining muscle mass? Felt like it took a decade for rondo to gain muscle... Brandon Ingram is a more recent example looks the same as 2 years ago

I think it depends on body type:  ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph
https://www.uh.edu/fitness/comm_educators/3_somatotypesNEW.htm

Part of my job is to help those ectomorphs gain muscle and endomorphs to lost fat, use chinese medicine to change your body type(metablism) , no special eating and execersize needed

[Vermont Green]

For a 20 year old that is 6'-8", gaining 7 lbs in 6 months is not that remarkable.  That is the age where young men would typically "fill out".  Quite a few here seem to be very anxious to say he has grown and inch or he looks taller or what ever.  I don't get why people seem so prone to think he is growing.

Last season, he was a skinny wing with some length that played really well.  7 pounds more on his bones is great but he is still going to be thin compared to NBA norms.  And if he has grown (is actually longer) then the added weight is probably more related to that than more muscle.  I doubt he has gotten taller, it is possible but would be rare.  I am not surprised in the least that he has "filled out" some.

He is still a wing though.  He is not strong enough to defend legitimate NBA bigs on a regular basis.  I am against taking a player that is this good of a wing and trying to play him as a big.