Jayson Tatum is the leader of the Boston Celtics for the foreseeable future. But unlike Kevin Garnett, he leads with a different style.
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Jayson Tatum has already accomplished a lot in his young career. In just four seasons, he’s been named an All-Star twice and to an All-NBA team once. In addition, he has improved his scoring each season and helped the Celtics reach the Conference Finals twice.
However, the trend is not on the star guards’ side. Boston made a first-round exit in the 2020-21 playoffs with a loss to the Nets. The Celtics have a dire record in the 2021-22 season, with 15 wins and 16 losses.
Despite a noteworthy start to his career, the 23-year old has faced a lot of criticism. Analysts have not missed out on a chance to address his lack of leadership on the court.
Another criticism he has often faced is him not making the NBA finals yet. The standards set for Tatum speaks volumes about his capabilities.
Jayson Tatum opens up about his critiques in a recent episode of – “Up Close with Sage Steele”
In a sitdown with Sage Steele, Tatum talks about how difficult it is to make the finals, let alone win a championship. “I always tip my hat off to the guys who win the championship since I’ve been in the league. I don’t know what it takes because I haven’t won, but I could only imagine how hard it is.”
Being vocal on the court is one of the key duties of a leader. However, it is not the only way to lead a team. Tatum certainly believes there are many other ways to lead:
“It’s always baffling that they’re not in it, but they get to critique what you’re doing and they don’t know anything about it.”
Brad Stevens: “I saw what Jayson Tatum said earlier today (about leadership). He was spot on. He can lead without saying a word.”
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) May 19, 2021
Jayson Tatum on his leadership style:
“Yeah, I’m not the most vocal… My personality is not like Kevin Garnett. That doesn’t work for me. I gotta do things in my own way for it to be genuine.” pic.twitter.com/NNCQDun8nh
— Guy Boston Sports (@GuyBostonSports) December 20, 2021
He further compares his leadership style to that of former NBA-legend Kevin Garnett. KG was the one to never stop talking on the court. Be it trash-talking opponents or talking to his teammates, he did it all:
“Ya, I’m not the most vocal. As much as I love him, my personality is not like Kevin Garnett’s. I’ve got to be true to myself and do things in my own way for it to be genuine.”
The 23-year-old has experienced a constantly changing environment (coaching staff and teammates). Yet, what Tatum has been able to accomplish in his career is astounding. If only the media didn’t have the patience of a 2-year old, people would appreciate Jayson Tatum a lot more.
