University of Tennessee Athletics
Tatum's Increased Role as a Volunteer
February 18, 2011 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 18, 2011
Josh Pate
UTsposrts.com
Three letters. It's so much easier to say those three letters than it is to utter the multi-syllable longer word.
Cam vs. Cameron. The roster, the announcer, and the media guide will all read or say Cameron Tatum. As much as he's a driver and slasher, Tatum's long range shots have been clutch this season for the Vols. So it's especially sweet when public address announcer, Jeff Jarnigan, blurts out, "Cameron Tatum for the Tennessee 3!"
But this isn't about whether Tatum wants to be called Cam or Cameron. It's about another short version of a longer word. It's about Win vs. Victory.
Tatum prefers the shorter version, and it's all he wants to do.
"I'm just trying to do whatever it takes to win," Tatum said.
Recently, that's been a lot.
Tatum is pouring in just more than 10 points a game this season, a 3-point shot better than his averages the past two seasons. And this season, Tatum has been relied upon a whole lot more for his scoring, his passing and his leadership.
A year ago, Tatum hit rock bottom in his basketball career at UT. Suspended for off-court activities with three other teammates, Tatum vowed to use the incident as a turning point in his career. After earning his spot back on the team and eventually earning his playing time back, Tatum came into his junior season a starter and has embraced a more active leadership role with the Tennessee squad.
"I think this summer with me being an older guy and being around, I just took that upon myself because I know the routine, I know what goes on, I know what coach expects," Tatum said. "I'm just trying to be that extension of a coach out there and just talk to them."
Tatum has worked on being more of a vocal leader this season, helping guys on the floor and directing traffic on the hardwood. He jumped at the chance to be a team leader. That, of course, was in part due to the solid leaders Tatum played for the last couple of seasons in J.P. Prince and Wayne Chism.
For Tatum, winning is about passing along any advice much like his elders did with him.
"When things go wrong, just keeping guys together and keeping their heads up, keeping young guys out there in-tune and staying ready," Tatum said. "Guys were talking to me. Guys like J.P. and Wayne were talking to me and telling me to keep my head up, keep shooting the ball. With those guys being gone and we have a bunch of new guys and transfers and stuff like that, I try to talk to them and keep them intact, tell them to keep their head up and keep playing."
Ironically, the greater leadership that Tatum has taken on, the greater success he's seen.
Tatum ripped 21 points in an overtime home loss to Florida. He scored 17 against Villanova at Madison Square Garden. He also scored in double figures for four consecutive games during the last stretch with Tony Jones on the sidelines as acting coach.
Obsession with points and totals, however, isn't what drives Tatum. It's that three-letter word, win.
"Just doing whatever it takes to try and get a W, really. That's my mind-set," Tatum said. "I don't really like to look at scoring points as a main focus, but sometimes it has to be. So I just try to take whatever the defense gives me. If I can drive to the basket and have a lane, then I'm going to take it. If it collapses, then I'm going to kick it out to a wide-open shooter or spoon-feed it. So just doing whatever it takes to win, whether it's making an assist or scoring a bucket or fighting for offensive rebounds, things like that."
