Much conversation has been had about the next face of NBA basketball but most fans can agree it will likely come down to Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, or Victor Wembanyama. But if you ask Celtics star Jayson Tatum, he believes he’s the most qualified out of anyone in the NBA.
“Did he win a championship? Yes. Did he win gold medals? Yes. Was he always a part of winning seasons? Was he first-team all-NBA? Those are things that you know are hard evidence. Face of the NBA? They can always debate. But it’s like, I check off all the boxes,” said Tatum, via the Washington Post.
Being tagged as the face of the NBA is not a small thing. Only one or two players can hold that position at a time and it typically goes to a box-office megastar who has some hardware in the playoffs.
Thanks to this criteria, LeBron James has been front and center as the face of the league for over 10 years now, but he’s 40 years old now and the time is up to find someone new to take his mantle.
This season, as the older generation fades out, fans have been looking for the next generation of legends and a solid group of young candidates has emerged that includes Ja Morant, Anthony Edwards, Luka Doncic, and Victor Wembanyama (among others).
Celtics star Jayson Tatum should be counted among that group but he’s often overlooked in the eyes of the NBA community. Tatum doesn’t have the same following and endorsements as other superstars and he feels that he’s one of the most underappreciated stars in the entire NBA.
Tatum, 26, may not be as flashy as other stars but his resume is unmatched among his peers. In seven and a half years in the league, Tatum is averaging 23.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game on 45.2% shooting.
He’s fresh off his first championship with the Celtics, where he averaged 22.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.2 assists in five games in the 2024 NBA Finals. The 6’8″ swingman is already a 6x All-Star, 4x All-NBA player, and two-time Olympic gold medalist.
With no controversies in his career and loyalty to one franchise, Jayson Tatum doesn’t often make headlines, but it’s only because he’s too busy leading the Celtics to prosperity.
This season, after helping Boston win the championship in June, Tatum is leading them to a favorable position to defend their title. At 42-16, second in the standings, the Celtics are poised to finish near the top once again and it’s because of Tatum’s impact that it’s even possible.
At this point, nobody knows what’s next for Jayson Tatum and the Celtics, but it’s clear that the young star is out to prove himself as the next face of the league just as his idol Kobe Bryant did back in his day. Of course, Tatum will need another championship to cement his legacy, but with the way the Celtics have looked this season it’s not out of the cards for it to happen.
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