Colin Cowherd spoke about why Jayson Tatum isn’t considered a candidate to be the next face of the NBA.
He noted that when you think about the legendary players in the NBA, there are qualities to them that you can recognize with your eyes closed. Whether it be Magic Johnson‘s smile, Michael Jordan‘s signature grin, or LeBron James‘ pre-game chalk toss, they all have signatures, something that can’t be said for Jayson Tatum.
“Let’s close our eyes. Think about Magic Johnson. You can see the smile. Think about Michael [Jordan], you can see that cocky grin. Think about LeBron [James]. You can see the imagery – pregame chalk. You can close your eyes and there are images of stars. Close your eyes and do it with [Jayson] Tatum. I don’t see anything. 26 a night? I don’t see anything.”
I don’t know why I find this so funny
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— Witness King James (@WITNESSKJ) February 27, 2025
This might be a fairly harsh assessment of Jayson Tatum, but what Colin Cowherd is basically describing is what the internet refers to as ‘Aura’ – the intangible quality that players have that set them apart from other players that don’t include basketball. This could be facets like charisma, personality, charm, swagger, or certain signature traits.
In the same episode of his show, Cowherd explained how Tatum lacked the flair and personality for a player to become the face of the NBA. He reminded fans about how Marcus Smart was the Celtics’ leader during the 2022 NBA Finals, and explained his point using an analogy with Tom Cruise.
“Hell, he wasn’t the face of the Celtics in the Finals, Jaylen Brown was. Marcus Smart, two years earlier, was taking the ball from him. There’s something about movie stars. Tom Cruise is a movie star. John Malkovich is a great actor. Denzel Washington that’s a movie star. Jeremy Irons? You could argue, a better actor. But there’s a cool and charisma.”
Jayson Tatum has said recently that he is the best candidate in the NBA to be the next face of the entire league. During his comments, he also expressed some dismay about not being appreciated for his talents on the court, with the NBA turning to more flashy players than him for attention.
Tatum is an ambitious player, recently stating that he wants to be looked at the same way LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant were by the coming generation. However, unfortunately for Tatum, there isn’t a lot about him that appeals to the casual fan. Bill Simmons put it best recently, comparing him to Celtics legend John Havlicek for being solid and reliable, but not a crossover superstar.
And in fairness, Tatum is a really good player. He is an NBA champion, having earned six All-Star and four All-NBA nominations across his career. But for many fans, the stumbling points are two-fold – One, that Tatum has almost never been the best player on any team. This was seen in last year’s NBA Finals, when Jaylen Brown won the Finals MVP.
Second, and perhaps more important when it comes to being the face of the NBA – Tatum comes across as inauthentic and camera-savvy. After the 2024 NBA Finals, Tatum was universally panned for copying the iconic championship celebrations of Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, and even rapper Kanye West.
Ironically, Tatum already had a great moment from the NBA Finals that he seemingly ignored. The instant the Celtics won the title and the confetti started raining down in the T.D. Garden, he hugged and lifted up his young son, Deuce, which made for a brilliant picture.
However, Tatum behaved a lot like a fan at the NBA Finals, trying to mimic and recreate some of the most iconic celebrations in NBA history. Rather than earnestly celebrate what is the biggest achievement of his career, Tatum saw it as his opportunity to cosplay as some of his favorites in order to create his own legendary soundbite.
Unfortunately for Tatum, soundbites and moments cannot be manufactured. They are created when something unexpected, and something real unfolds before our very eyes. Had he been himself, whether that be subdued or animated, it would have made for a much better viewing experience for the audience.
If Tatum is serious about becoming the face of the NBA, then he must stop playing the role of an NBA player and start being one. He has great numbers, and plays the right way. But there is no sizzle to his very efficient steak. The NBA is an entertainment league as much as it is a competitive sports league. Tatum has excelled at the sport, but to be the face, he must also bring the entertainment.
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