Getty Images Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics handles the ball against Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins of the Golden State Warriors.
Celtics star Jayson Tatum is taking heat for an old tweet aimed at current Golden State Warriors All-Star Andrew Wiggins.
Wiggins exploded for 26 points and 13 rebounds in a crucial Game 5 in the NBA Finals, helping lead the Warriors to a 104-94 victory and a 3-2 edge in the series despite Stephen Curry having an off night.
Well, the internet never forgets anything and the 2012 tweet from Tatum was brought up after Wiggins’ big night.
“Jabari Parker is better the Andrew Wiggins,” a 14-year-old Tatum wrote.
Hindsight is 20/20 but Tatum did catch a bit of heat for his teenage hot take.
“One thing you shouldn’t take for granted is time. Who would’ve thought years later this tweet would come back to haunt you,” one Twitter user wrote. “At this time Jayson Tatum was probably right! Andrew Wiggins getting the last laugh.”
Others joked that the tweet fired up Wiggins.
“Wiggins been hooping like he saw that tweet from Tatum saying Jabari Parker better,” another commenter tweeted out.
Wiggins and Tatum ended up going with the first two picks in the 2014 draft. Wiggins came off the board first, with Parker to follow.
Fast forward to current day and Parker is struggling to find a job in the NBA, while Wiggins is playing an important role on a championship squad. It’s fair to say young Tatum’s assessment of their talent was wrong.
“You know, I give all those guys credit, everybody,” Tatum said after Game 5 when asked specifically about Wiggins’ performance. “For them to play well tonight, they were the better team tonight. You got to give them credit. Get some rest and get ready for the next one.”
Warriors Praise Andrew Wiggins for Growth
Wiggins faced some trying times early in his career but has blossomed with the Warriors, becoming a complete player, contributing on both sides of the court and taking pride in grabbing rebounds. That was on full display during Game 5, as he defended Tatum on one end and still provided an offensive spark.
“We knew we needed his athleticism and defense and his versatility. We had no idea that he would make this kind of contribution,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “But I think it’s a reminder that for almost every player in the NBA, circumstances are everything. You kind of need to find the right place, the right teammates, that kind of stuff. Wiggs has been a great fit.”
Part of the circumstance for Wiggins is getting to watch and learn from some great players in Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Green has been especially impressed with how Wiggins has evolved are carved out his niche.
“I think he started to feel it out, but coming into this year, he was an All-Star starter for a reason. He defended very well. He scored the ball very well and really just plugged right in,” Green said of Wiggins after Game 5. “Like it wasn’t like, oh, you need to call a set for him every time. He’s kind of been getting it. He’s continued to do that.
“I think the bigger the challenge has been that we’ve thrown in front of him, the bigger he’s responded. That’s a guy — you want a guy like that, when the stage get big, they respond and play their best basketball, and that’s what he’s been doing.”
Stephen Curry Aiming for Turnaround After Rought Night
A scary prospect for the Celtics heading into Game 6 is that Curry very rarely has two bad shooting performances in a row. And considering he failed to hit a 3-pointer for the first time in his stored playoff career, Curry might have something big in store with a title on the line Thursday night.
“A win is a win. Whether Steph gets 43, 10, 4, or whether he finishes with 16-for-22 shooting, a win is a win. Obviously, we have spoke about helping him, and I don’t think he’s been out there helpless, like that’s the narrative,” Green told reporters after the game. “He was 0-for-9 from three. He’s going to be livid going into Game 6, and that’s exactly what we need.”
The Celtics are a 4-point home favorite for the potential elimination game, per Odds Shark.