Jayson Tatum has finally set the record straight on his favorite nickname, settling a debate that’s had fans buzzing. As the Celtics keep making noise in the NBA, the All-Star forward’s choice has only added to the conversation. During a recent interview, Tatum revealed that out of all the nicknames he’s been given, “Taco” is the one he likes most—a fun tribute to his love for the popular food. While names like “The Anomaly” and “Big Deuce” have been floated around, none of them stick quite like “Taco.”

But that’s not how Kim Kardashian’s kid knows him. On the March 6 episode of The Kardashians, Kim Kardashian, 44, worked with her kids, Saint, 9, and Chicago, 7, to put together a Dollywood-themed party for Khloe Kardashian’s 40th birthday. The theme left Kris Jenner’s boyfriend, Corey Gamble, a little lost.

Kim tried to clarify. “I don’t think anyone realizes it’s kind of a Western theme,” she told Corey. “You could just throw on a T-shirt, some chains, and jeans. Or go full-on J.T.”

That’s when Saint chimed in, completely confused. “J.T.? You mean Jayson Tatum?” he asked. Kim, stunned, turned to him. “Do you even know who Justin Timberlake is?” she asked. Saint’s answer? A solid no.

Laughing, Kim later reflected on the moment. “[Saint] said, ‘Who is J.T.? Jayson Tatum?’ That just tells you everything you need to know about my kids.” Forget ’90s pop stars—Saint’s world revolves around NBA icons. Justin Timberlake? Nah, he chose Tatum over the $250 million worth Justin Timberlake.

No doubt the Celtics star is popular but is he the face of the league? Well, not really. Tatum himself believes he deserves more recognition. “Face of the NBA? They can always debate. But it’s like, I check off all the boxes,” he said.

Colin Cowherd isn’t buying it. On The Herd, he acknowledged Tatum’s talent but questioned if he has the presence needed to truly lead the league. “Jayson Tatum is a great player. But he’s closer to Duncan in personality than Magic,” Cowherd said, implying that while Tatum excels on the court, he lacks a defining persona. Tim Duncan was a team first guy, no drama or anything, what the NBA would consider “boring”. Magic Johnson, on the other hand, was flashy, had a cool swagger. Someone who’d get people interested in the NBA.

The 5x All-Star has spoken openly about the challenges of dealing with public perception. “Sports media is tough. When we lose, it’s my fault. It’s hard to explain that or have other guys on the team understand. Like, nobody can prepare you on how to deal with that,” he admitted.

One moment that fueled this narrative came during the playoffs when Get Up! Questioned whether he was truly happy about Jaylen Brown winning Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Their reasoning? A simple smile Tatum gave during Brown’s acceptance. That’s right—people actually speculated over a facial expression.

JJ Redick and others were quick to shut down the criticism, calling it pure “nit-picking.” With media reactions like this, it’s no wonder Tatum often feels like he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves.

If the media wasn’t enough, his own son, Deuce dissed him too.

Jayson Tatum gets trolled by his own son, as he pushes for Dunk Contest Stars

Kevin Garnett is usually the one throwing shade, but during All-Star Weekend, Deuce Tatum stole the show. Watching the Dunk Contest, the 7-year-old couldn’t help but clown his dad.

“My daddy couldn’t do any of those dunks,” he told KG, who instantly gave Jayson Tatum a look. The clip spread fast after Garnett posted it, captioning, “Why did Deuce have to do his pops like that?” He later doubled down, sharing it again with “Deuce wild for that. Shout to Deuce n JT.”

To be fair, Deuce isn’t wrong—JT’s dunk game isn’t flashy. He’s more of a two-foot, power finisher than a high-flyer. Maybe next time his son is watching, he’ll put a little more flair into it.

But while Deuce was roasting his dad, JT had his own gripe—the Dunk Contest needs more stars. After Mac McClung secured his third straight title, Tatum called for bigger names.

“I need them guys to get back in it. We got stars in this league that play above the rim, and that’s what people really want to see,” he told Eddie Gonzalez.

He praised his teammate Brown for entering last year, hoping more stars follow. Maybe it’s time for reigning champions to set the tone—because if JT won’t, Deuce will keep reminding him.