Jayson Tatum has achieved numerous accolades, but an NBA Finals MVP award remains elusive in his nearly one-decade career with the Boston Celtics. While Tatum’s lack of this honor has already sparked discussions, former NBA star Brandon Jennings fueled the debate.
The former player labeled the Celtics star “soft” for not clinching the Finals MVP last season. Jennings once again criticized Tatum during a stream. He claimed that Tatum’s jersey shouldn’t be hung on the wall until he wins a Finals MVP.
Jennings’ remark quickly caught the attention of the basketball community and led to a fiery defense from Patrick Beverley on The Pat Bev Podcast. Beverley strongly disagreed with Jennings’ criticism, praising Tatum’s skill and toughness.
“Just because he’s not yelling and you can see his tattoos, don’t mean he’s soft. He’s skilled as f***. I think he’s talented as f***. He has a ton of size, he has won a championship. They might be one of the winningest organizations probably the last four years. No, I’m not rolling with that,” Beverley said.
Just because Tatum isn’t yelling he’s soft? pic.twitter.com/DsWCTKsZEm
— Pat Bev Pod (@PatBevPod) January 17, 2025
“That’s a bad take. He doesn’t look like the normal tough guy doesn’t mean he’s not tough. He gets it done. When I guarded Brandon Jennings, I was like, ‘Yeah, soft a**,’” he added.
Jayson Tatum Fires Back At Critics After Leading Celtics To Victory
Jayson Tatum’s stellar performance led the Boston Celtics to a commanding 121-94 victory over the Orlando Magic on Friday. During the post-game press conference, Tatum was asked about the criticism he often faces, to which he gave a confident response.
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“I don’t know; I guess I’m a big deal,” Tatum replied.
The star forward finished with 30 points, six rebounds, four assists, one block, and two steals in his 35 minutes of play. With his dominance, the Celtics improved to 29-12 in the season.
