By any reasonable standard, Jayson Tatum had a solid year in his sophomore season in the NBA -- he averaged 15.7 points and six rebounds per game while shooting 37.3 percent from 3-point range.

Unfortunately for Tatum, reasonable standards don’t apply when you set expectations unreasonably high as a rookie. Tatum helped carry the Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals in his rookie campaign, shooting an obscene 43.4 percent from deep and posting 20 points per game in the playoffs, making what would have been a solid second year for anyone else a bit of a disappointment.

But Tatum’s potential still exists, and one former teammate -- big man Aron Baynes, speaking to ESPN before Australia’s scrimmage against Team USA in the run up to the FIBA World Cup -- believes Tatum could make a leap next season.

From ESPN:

“Definitely [he’s ready to reach superstar status],” Baynes said in Melbourne as the Boomers prepare for their two-game series against Team USA.

“He’s so talented - even from the first day I played with him when he was a rookie in his first preseason, you could see how talented he was offensively and he also wants to work on the defensive end which isn’t common in the NBA - some guys live on that offensive talent but he wants to develop his all-round game. ... He’s going to be a fun one to continue to watch."

Baynes, who was dealt to the Phoenix Suns on draft night in a move that created max cap space for the Celtics, also noted Jaylen Brown is “thirsty” to improve his game.

The Celtics are hoping for a big jump from Tatum in particular, whose success this season could help decide how good Boston can really be. Kemba Walker is a great replacement for Kyrie Irving, but Tatum’s ability to rise from good second-year player to a third-year star could be the difference between an early-round playoff exit and a deeper run.

Before all that, Tatum will try to help lead Team USA to a gold medal. His performance over the next month could offer a preview into what the Celtics can expect from their young star this season.