Former Bucks star Brandon Jennings went viral for his bold claims that Jayson Tatum is the softest Celtics superstar ever. The word made waves toward the five-time All-Star who mocked Jennings in his recent Instagram caption. The exchange between the two has caused discourse surrounding Tatum to arise. Former Clippers star Lou Williams comes to Tatum’s defense and adamantly rejects the idea that he is soft.
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Williams made his opinion known on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back. Williams immediately broke out a smile once the discussion started. Without hesitation, he firmly stood on the belief that Jennings’ statement was false. He said,
“I’m curious to what Brandon Jennings’ criteria is for that. What makes Jayson Tatum soft? The things that he was able to do in Game 7? The way that he goes about his business in fourth quarters? If he was soft, trust me, he would get tried time and time again. You don’t see guys going out there and trying Jayson Tatum.”
“What makes Jayson Tatum soft? The things that he was able to do in a Game 7? … If he was soft, trust me, he would get tried time and time again.” – @TeamLou23
Brandon Jennings
is wrong; Tatum is not soft, but are his sound fundamentals boring?https://t.co/f0UJuJctwQ pic.twitter.com/uN6wXu9Wju
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) January 10, 2025
Unlike Jennings, Williams views Tatum in the opposite light. Just because he didn’t win Eastern Conference and Finals MVP doesn’t mean Tatum’s soft. On numerous occasions, Tatum has shown his toughness. In the 2023 semifinals, Tatum set the record for most points in a Game 7 with 51 points to defeat the Sixers. According to Williams, a soft player doesn’t perform like that.
In addition, Williams suggests that if Tatum was soft players would try all sorts of tricks against the Celtics star. Instead, opponents hold Tatum in high regard and show him enormous respect. All signs point to Tatum not being a soft player.
Tatum has proven he’s not soft
Tatum’s Game 7 performance against the Sixers isn’t the only instance in which he has proved he isn’t soft. Arguably, his most iconic performance comes in Game 6 of the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals against the Bucks. Tatum finished with an emphatic 46 points en route to forcing a Game 7 and keeping their playoff hopes alive.
Furthermore, Tatum showcased his toughness in Boston’s title-clinching Game 5 victory over the Mavericks. Despite struggling to find his shot for the majority of the series, Tatum performed when it mattered most. He finished the game with 31 points to close out the series and capture his first NBA championship.
Although Tatum has achieved what many players haven’t, he still hasn’t earned the respect he’s due. As a result, Jennings’s words, along with others, continue to add fuel to the fire to prove the doubters wrong, which will be a scary sight once the postseason begins.
