Jayson Tatum has been the subject of intense criticism to start this season, primarily centered on a perceived lack of leadership.
However, the Boston Celtics All-Star, struggling from the field to start the year, has addressed some of that criticism in a recent interview with ESPN’s Sage Steele. During the interview, Tatum labeled some of the criticism he’s had levied his way as “baffling,” which, when considering the achievements of his young NBA career, is a fair assessment.
“They don’t know me, they don’t know our environment, or they didn’t speak to any of the guys that I played with. It’s always been baffling to me that they’re not in it, but they get to critique what you’re doing, and they don’t know anything about it. It’s like, yeah, I’m not the most vocal, but I talk to my teammates all the time.
And the guys that I played with, the guys in the organization. You gotta be yourself and me. As much as I love him, my personality is not like Kevin Garnett. That doesn’t work for me. I’ve got to be true to myself and do things in my own way for it to be genuine,” Tatum said.
Tatum, 23, is already a two-time All-Star, has been to multiple conference finals, and is an Olympic gold medalist – to accomplish all of that at such a young age should be proof enough of his potential leadership qualities.
Tatum Knows Winning in the NBA is Hard
Despite making it to the Eastern Conference finals multiple times, Tatum has never tasted success on the NBA’s biggest stage, always falling short just a couple of steps early.
However, with the St Louis native still a couple of years outside of reaching his prime and currently being the featured offensive piece for the Boston Celtics, time is still firmly on his side as Tatum continues his quest to become an NBA champion.
Yet, when speaking to Steele, Tatum noted how difficult winning at the elite level is and why he respects those who make it to the promised land. “It’s not easy and I always tip my hat off to the guys who have won a championship since I been in the league because I don’t know what it takes because I haven’t won, but I can only imagine because I know how hard it is,” Tatum said.
Tatum has experienced multiple versions of how circumstances derail a championship push, from injuries to bad luck. He has seen a plethora of ways that a team’s success can be taken out of their control throughout his young career.
Tatum is Trying to Lead by Example
Tatum, who can now be considered an NBA veteran, is quickly learning that leadership can come in many forms and doesn’t necessarily have to be confined to what we see on the court.
“I think being more vocal, being more of a leader. It’s not just all about, you know, on-the-court stuff. I am figuring that out and it is something that I am working at as I get more mature, as I get older, more comfortable in what I’m doing, just bringing others together,” Tatum told Steele during their interview.
Some players are the type to bark orders, others believe in positive reinforcement, while it would seem Tatum prefers to lead by example. We’ve all seen how the All-Star raises his game when playing elite-level competition, especially when facing off against the Los Angeles Lakers, who he grew up supporting before entering the league.
Tatum and Jaylen Brown have both been thrust into leadership roles this year, with the departure of Kemba Walker adding further pressure onto the young duo to become primary voices within the team’s locker room. And while neither Tatum nor Brown seems the type to bark and shout, their level of play, commitment, and professionalism is the type of leadership that can lead a team to a championship, despite how it may look on the court.
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Jayson Tatum Addresses ‘Baffling’ Criticism: ‘Not Like Kevin Garnett’