Kevin Durant: Celtics' Jayson Tatum 'Likely' to Control NBA for the Next 10, 12 Years

Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant may still be playing superstar-caliber basketball at age 35, but even he can recognize when the next generation of the game is taking over.

Durant praised Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum ahead of the marquee matchup on Thursday night on TNT, saying the Celtics forward is among the young stars who will "control" the sport moving forward.

"I've been in this league a long time now and I know when it's a passing of the guard," Durant told reporters. "I know when the young dudes are going to come in and do the same thing the older guys are doing. He's one of those guys that's likely going to control the league for the next 10, 12 years and be a staple in our game and the history of our game."

Tatum is currently fifth in the NBA MVP voting odds at +4800 at FanDuel Sportsbook as the Celtics sit at an NBA-best 51-14. He is coming off a 38-point effort in Tuesday's win over the Utah Jazz, which snapped a streak of four straight games shooting under 40 percent.

Durant did not name any other superstars of the next generation, but it's not hard to look at the MVP odds and find the next crop. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Dončić are just 25 years old, while Nikola Jokić (29) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (29) bridge the gap between the two generations.

For Tatum to truly take the next step, he will have to join Jokić and Antetokounmpo as NBA champions. The Celtics have been the league's best team throughout the 2023-24 season, so the time for excuses has run out.

If Tatum isn't able to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy this season, he'll likely begin seeing some of the blowback the plagued Durant during his Oklahoma City run.

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