Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Theorizes Being Overlooked In Face Of NBA Debate

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum feels underappreciated.

Tatum receives loads of cheers and praise in Boston, but outside TD Garden’s walls, the 26-year-old is constantly ridiculed for one reason or another. First, not having a championship didn’t validate Tatum, even amongst other superstars without a title. Then, the issue was Tatum wasn’t named NBA Finals MVP, and this past summer — after signing a record-large $315 million extension with the Celtics — it was all about the Olympics.

Since USA Basketball head coach Steve Kerr, who nearly cost the team a gold medal, didn’t utilize Tatum appropriately, the narrative vulture-crowded Tatum again. It’s become a constant routine that’s tried to distract Boston’s superstar from maintaining his laser focus, this time amid the team’s title defense bid.

“If you took the name and the face away from all my accomplishments and you’re just like, ‘This is what Player A accomplished at 26,’ people would talk about (me) a lot differently,” Tatum told The Washington Post’s Michael Lee.

Tatum seemingly silenced the naysayers, at least temporarily, despite Kerr’s incompetence this past summer in Paris. Tatum had his ring, payday, favorable re-run cast back and ready to do it all over again, yet the unwarranted chirps regained traction once ex-NBA guard Brandon Jennings reached for low-hanging content.

Jennings called Tatum the “softest” Celtics superstar after he “let” Jaylen Brown earn Finals MVP honors. The 35-year-old, now a member of the “Gil’s Arena” podcast, continuously hurls jabs toward Tatum to maintain a viral-thirsty voice conducive to chasing views, clicks and controversy.

None of the noise has rattled Tatum as the six-time All-Star is averaging 26.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists, leading the Celtics in each three of those statistical categories. While it’s not enough to get mentioned as much in the league MVP chit-chatter, Tatum’s sticking with Banner 19 is the greatest concern this season.

Granted, even winning back-to-back titles might not sell Tatum on the idea that he’s in the clear of getting ripped everywhere outside of Boston. Tatum’s already-stacked resume has made him one of the greatest Celtics to ever sport the uniform, and a future Hall of Famer, hasn’t earned him the respect of entering the face-of-the-league debate.

Keep in mind, Tatum’s only been in the league for eight seasons and hasn’t hit 30 years old.

“Did he win a championship? Yes. Did he win gold medals? Yes,” Tatum continued. “Was he always a part of winning seasons? Was he first team all-NBA? Those are things that you know are hard evidence. Face of the NBA? They can always debate. But it’s like, I check off all the boxes.”

Tatum’s legacy, regardless of whatever Jennings or anyone who’s failed to match Tatum’s level of dominance says, will speak for itself once the Duke products career has reached its end. However, that’s a ways away so until then, Tatum can keep eyeing titles, All-Star appearances and every other accolade that’ll make his track record respond for itself before the Hall of Fame calls his name.