Jayson Tatum Is Just Getting on the Media Rollercoaster With a Championship

Jayson Tatum thinks his career has been a rollercoaster. He's just getting started.

Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) celebrates in the locker room after winning the 2024 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Elsa/Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports / Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports

Jayson Tatum is an NBA champion. It's great news for Tatum, his friends, family, fans and team, but it's horrible news for the hot take industrial complex who now have to get much more creative with their criticisms of the Boston Celtics star.

Tatum seemed to appreciate this fact throughout his postgame celebration. As reality set in he cried tears of joy and relief while hugging his son. In the immediate aftermath of the game you could see it on his face. Then in his postgame interview he put it in perspective.

Jayson Tatum: “These last seven years have been a rollercoaster. Up and down. I had to listen to all the shit that people said about me. and tonight, it was worth it.” pic.twitter.com/3JCslUl04A

— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) June 18, 2024

“These last seven years has been a rollercoaster," Tatum said. "Up and down. I had to listen to all the s--- that people said about me. And tonight? It was worth it.”

That's what winning does. Tatum felt instant relief. Vindication. Happiness.

And the misguided belief that it would stop all the s--- people had been talking. As we've learned from the career of LeBron James, one title only reframes the argument. You would think the mental gymnastics required to denigrate a perennial All-NBA player's career get tougher after he wins a title, but you'd be surprised. Soon Tatum will learn that it never stops.

The very fact that he considers his career a rollercoaster is crazy. Tatum is 26 and he's played in the Eastern Conference Finals in four of the last five seasons. He's been in the playoffs every single year he's been in the league. In seven years he's never missed more than eight games in a single season and he's never missed a postseason game, let alone a series.

Boston fans! Click the photo or here to to order Sports Illustrated's NBA championship digital commemorative issue. / Elsa/Getty Images

Compare that to some of his most high-profile contemporaries. Devin Booker, 27, has made it to the NBA Finals once. He missed the playoffs the first five years of his career and hasn't been out of the second round since 2021.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, 29, has made it out of the second round once and suffered injuries in the postseason.

Joel Embiid, 30, has never been out of the second round of the playoffs. We do not have room to recount his injury history.

Kawhi Leonard, 32, has won two titles, but he's only played in three Conference Finals in his entire career. He's been hurt and missed entire seasons and has had multiple postseason runs cut short by injuries.

If Tatum thinks being consistently healthy, recognized as one of the top players in the league and constantly competitive is a rollercoaster, he would hate being any other star.

It's impossible to know who winning a title truly means the most to, but Tatum sure seemed like he had the most on the line in this series. If only because he listens to everything the media says. All he does is show up, play, score and win games. His biggest crime? Not being a top five player in the NBA. He might be sixth or seventh depending on who you ask. Does anyone know the cutoff for Elite?

He'll be disappointed to learn that finally winning a title at 26 (Michael Jordan was 28 for his first) will only reframe the debate in 2024. Just look at LeBron James who has now won four titles and is still being constantly questioned at nearly 40 years old. Tatum will soon learn that winning one title only means you haven't won two titles. And if he does win another he'll have to explain why he hasn't won any without Jaylen Brown. See how easy this is?

The rollercoaster is just getting started.