11-Year NBA Veteran Shares Harsh Truth for Celtics Star Jayson Tatum

Will Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum ever become the face of the NBA?

Sep 24, 2024; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) talks to reporters during media day at Auerbach Center. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Despite winning the NBA Finals, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum doesn't have the same respect that a player like Nikola Jokic does. Former Memphis Grizzlies guard and 11-year NBA veteran Gilbert Arenas believes he has the reason why.

During an episode of The Gil's Arena show, Arenas unloaded on the NBA not giving Tatum the respect that he deserves. In Arena's eyes, the NBA just did not want to make Tatum the face of the league.

"If the NBA wanted to make him the face, they would have just gave him awards," Arenas said. "If you look at some of the people that was voting, when they were talking on TV, they were bashing Jayson Tatum. This couldn't have been the face of the NBA, because the face of the NBA, they're already making excuses for you."

Why Jayson Tatum ISN’T the face of the NBA pic.twitter.com/ejcpw2mXPU

— Gilbert Arenas (@GilsArenaShow) October 3, 2024

To Gilbert Arenas, become the face of the league isn't about how good you are as a player, it's who the media scripts the narrative around. The example he used was when the media decided to suddenly campaign Embiid as the best player in the league.

"When Jokic was winning that award and they wanted Embiid to win it, how did that sound? Sounded very different right? Jokic is winning, then overnight, Embiid is the best player ever, Embiid, Embiid, Embiid," Arenas said. "It just turned into a whole Embiid campaign out of thin air. When the NBA wants you to win an award, there's no mistaking. So they did not write him as the face of the NBA."

While Arenas' words sound a bit too much like a massive conspiracy theory, there's a high degree of accuracy in it. Most NBA media has already decided they don't want to give Jayson Tatum the respect he deserves, as if the boat has already passed on it. Because of that, it's hard to see Tatum ever winning an MVP unless he averages 30 points a game.

Related Articles

Ja Morant Excites Memphis Grizzlies Fans in Latest Workout Footage

Eight-Year NBA Veteran, Ex-Grizzlies Player Joins New Team in Portugal

Ja Morant Reacts to Viral LeBron James and Steph Curry Moment in USA-France