Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) on the bench against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half at Smoothie King Center.image captionBoston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) on the bench against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half at Smoothie King Center.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) on the bench against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half at Smoothie King Center.
Colin Cowherd has never been one to shy away from controversial takes, and his latest criticism of Jayson Tatum has reignited debates about the Boston Celtics star's place among the NBA’s elite. On his show The Herd, Cowherd dismissed Tatum as a true superstar, arguing that his impact is not at the level of LeBron James, Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant.
Instead, Cowherd categorized Tatum as merely a "star" rather than a transcendent figure in the league, even going so far as to nickname him "The Password" for being forgettable.
"So I've never had a topic where I just give you data and facts, and one city is more outraged. I don’t even understand it. Yesterday, I said, 'You know, they’re 10-2 when he doesn’t play.' That’s not an opinion. I said they score eight points more per game when he doesn’t play. That’s not an opinion."
"The field goal percentage, the net rating, the three-point percentage all go up when Jayson Tatum doesn’t play. Those aren’t opinions. In the Eastern Conference Finals and the NBA Finals, Jaylen Brown was the MVP, not Tatum. That’s not an opinion."
"In the Olympics, the second-to-last game against Serbia, coaches' decision— they wouldn’t play him. In the gold medal game, he had two points. These are not opinions. You are trying to make him Jokic, Giannis, Steph, LeBron, and Luka. I’m not."
"I’m just saying he’s not in that class, and all the numbers prove it. And by the way, you know who else proves it? Shoe companies. LeBron, Steph, KD, and Ja Morant have their own brand. Tatum doesn’t. He’s got a shoe under Michael’s brand."
"So what did the Olympics prove? He shrinks against great players around him. Eastern Conference Finals— what did it prove? What does production data prove when he doesn’t play? I’m not saying he’s not a star. The NBA, at any one time, has two superstars, maybe three, and then about 12 stars."
"I’m just saying he’s not in the three— he’s in the 12. And people are outraged by it. This all started with a 'face of the league' discussion, and in terms of that, he’s more Tim Duncan— efficient, productive, good guy, excellent player, can win you championships— but there’s not a lot of aura there, not a lot of personality."
"I don’t think that’s a criticism. So you’re the one trying to get me to compare him to superstars. There are a lot of good soccer players, but not a lot of Messis and Ronaldos."
"At any one time, the world has two or three of them. Now, the world has 15 other great soccer stars, but at any given time— Mbappé, Messi, Ronaldo— it’s got about three global superstars. And this is a global league, and Tatum is not a global star."
"I’ve said this before: we talk about Michael Jordan, and he hasn’t played forever. We talk about Magic and Bird and Dr. J. You know who we don’t talk about? Tim Duncan, Karl Malone— they’re great players."
"Jayson Tatum is going to retire, and four years later, there’ll be no Jayson Tatum talk. That doesn’t mean he’s not great. You’re the one jamming him into this global elite group, and I’m just saying— numbers don’t prove it."
"You know what his nickname is? So, NBA Twitter is a thing, and they make up nicknames all the time. This year, they’ve given seven new players nicknames. I didn’t. I’m just going to tell you what the nickname was. His nickname? 'The Anomaly.' Does that sound like it would sell shoes?"
"So, so, so— I think his nickname should be 'The Password' because he’s commonly forgotten. But I’m going to get shots for that! I threw a couple up there. Alright, we’re being snarky. But we’re just being snarky."
Cowherd’s argument centered around statistical analysis and historical comparisons. He pointed out that the Celtics have performed slightly better offensively and defensively in games where Tatum has not played, citing their 3-1 record without him this season.
He also referenced past performances, particularly in the NBA Finals and Eastern Conference Finals, where Jaylen Brown was named MVP over Tatum, suggesting that even in the biggest moments, Tatum has not established himself as the clear-cut leader of the Celtics.
Beyond the numbers, Cowherd criticized Tatum’s lack of aura, something he believes separates stars from superstars. He compared him to Tim Duncan and Karl Malone—all-time greats who were highly productive but lacked the cultural and emotional impact of true NBA icons.
The criticism also extended beyond the court, with Cowherd citing Tatum’s lack of individual branding power. Unlike LeBron, Curry, and Durant, who all have their own signature sneaker lines, Tatum is merely a part of Jordan Brand, not a standalone figure like Ja Morant. According to Cowherd, this lack of marketability underscores his point that Tatum is not a true global superstar.
Bill Simmons, a known Celtics fan, also weighed in on Tatum’s status, but from a different angle. Simmons compared Tatum to John Havlicek, another legendary Celtics player who was instrumental in winning championships but never truly stood out as the defining face of the league.
Tatum has been vocal about his desire to be viewed as a defining figure for the next generation of basketball players, alongside LeBron, Curry, and Durant. He has also expressed frustration over being underappreciated by fans and media, a sentiment echoed by former Celtics legend Paul Pierce, who suggested that Boston’s status as the NBA’s most hated franchise contributes to Tatum not receiving his due credit.
Tatum’s numbers this season remain strong, with the Celtics sitting near the top of the Eastern Conference at 42-17 when he plays. His offensive and defensive impact is measurable, but Cowherd believes that the difference between Tatum and true superstars is his ability to define moments in NBA history.
The argument is not about talent—Tatum is undeniably one of the league’s best players—but about whether he will be remembered as one of the defining figures of his era.
This debate is far from over, as Tatum still has plenty of time to prove his doubters wrong. If he leads Boston to a championship and dominates the biggest moments, he might silence the critics. Until then, however, voices like Cowherd’s will continue to question whether Tatum belongs in the NBA’s most exclusive club.
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