Ex-NBA Star Accuses Celtics of Hindering Jayson Tatum’s Rise: “They Are Protecting Larry Bird”

Is there a better team in the NBA than the Boston Celtics currently? The majority of basketball fans would say no. They completely dominated the Eastern Conference, notching up 64 wins and securing the 1st seed by a substantial margin of 14 victories over the 2nd-seeded Knicks. While the Celtics possess a bevy of talented top-tier players, it is inarguably Jayson Tatum’s team.

Jayson Tatum is the franchise cornerstone of one of the most dominant teams of the modern NBA. Despite this dominance, Tatum is not considered a player who could rival Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama for the title of the ‘face of the league.’ With LeBron James’ days in the league numbered, Adam Silver is searching for a superstar that could lead the NBA into a new era of stratospheric popularity. Although Tatum is in the running, many feel that he isn’t cut out for the role. Former Warriors star Gilbert Arenas falls in that category.

During a conversation on the latest episode of the Gil’s Arena, Agent Zero stated that the Boston writers (journalists) haven’t given Jayson Tatum his flowers because they want to protect Larry Bird’s legacy. A legacy of leading the Celtics to three championships, bringing the team to its finest form, and having coach Red Auerbach say, “If I had to start a team, the one guy in all history I would take would be Larry Bird.” 

Considering which Gilbert Arenas said, “A general manager told me this. He says that it seems like the Boston writers are like protecting Larry Bird’s legacy. So they do not push Tatum like they are supposed to.” Arenas added further, “When we’re talking about success, I mean, as a young dude, he has had a lot of early success and they don’t push it.”

While the remarks may hold some weight, the fact of the matter is that despite multiple postseason appearances, Jayson Tatum is yet to guide his team to NBA glory. However, could this change in the future?

Does Jayson Tatum have what it takes to be the next face of the league?

Jayson Tatum has grown to be one of the best players in the league. And the 2023-24 season may stand a proof. Averaging 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 74 games, the forward might as well find himself in the elite territory. For, only four other players – Luka Dončić, Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid – boast such figures in the league.

Considering the numbers and the Celtics’ standing in the league, Jayson Tatum was initially considered a contender for the 2024 MVP award. However, superior performances at end of the regular season have allowed Doncic and Jokic to distance themselves from him in the race. Couple that with his not-so-successful postseason run (as per Tatum himself), Jayson has never been regarded as “the best player in the league,” and neither fans nor analysts believe he has the potential just yet.

Meanwhile, the spectators believe that players like Doncic and Victor Wembanyama have the potential to supersede Jayson Tatum’s achievements and become “the best player in the league.” Furthermore, both are known to be more marketable players than Tatum because of their unique skill sets. While Jayson Tatum is the best of Celtics, that isn’t good enough to become the next ‘face of the league.’