Tatum is unfairly disrespected

[Bar Fight]

The "needs 1 to 2 more rings" thing is weird to me. SGA, Brunson, Ant have zero rings. Why don't they have to wait for 2-3 more rings? lol.

Ant is a young player, he hasn't been around long enough to nitpick like JT has. SGA is having a monster season and is leading the youngest team in the league to a historically great record. That's unheard of. Who outside of NY considers Brunson a top 5 player (or having top 5 potential)? Seems like he's properly rated as a top 15 player(maybe lower end of the top 10 at best) by most people.

If Thunder fall short this year will SGA get the Tatum treatment though? They're basically the same age so I have my doubts. I think a lot of people put Tatum at the end of the top 10 and the fact that he gets All-NBA first team is just because he plays enough games compared to players they'd rate ahead of him otherwise so similar to Brunson rankings you're estimating.

Probably not to the same degree because people don't hate the Thunder like they hate the Celtics. There absolutely will be blowback though. Pretty much happens with everyone. People build guys up to break them down. Even Jokic and Giannis weren't immune to getting nitpicked before they won titles.

[shackles10]

If Thunder fall short this year will SGA get the Tatum treatment though? They're basically the same age so I have my doubts. I think a lot of people put Tatum at the end of the top 10 and the fact that he gets All-NBA first team is just because he plays enough games compared to players they'd rate ahead of him otherwise so similar to Brunson rankings you're estimating.

Isn't this why we're saying one or two more titles for Tatum to get truly popular?

He scores a lot -- but he's settled in below 30ppg instead of over it (with good reason) -- unlike Shai
He passes well -- but he's up to 6apg average and that's cool, but it's not Jokic or Luka constant triple double #s
He rebounds well -- but again, 9rpg doesn't grab headlines
He defends well -- but he's not going to lead the league in steals like Shai or get DPOY votes
He drives and dunks -- but not like Ja or Anthony Edwards -- and he hits 3s but not like Steph, and people decided his form is funky which I honestly haven't ever 'gotten', but it's a meme
And he blows kisses to the crowds and sells potato chips and decent sneakers and he's a mild-mannered dad and to some of us that's cool, but to the Tik Tok generation he's considered corny
He's from Boston and **** the Celtics and Boston because THEY AIN'T US and [content warning] Boston's considered racist

I don't know. I don't care about any of this. Add two more titles and people will have to be like well damn, I guess this guy's an all-timer and not just, like, Devin Booker with a ring

That’s a bunch of, “he’s not doing it like them,” but are they doing it like him? No, because even most of the greats weren’t him at the same age! Time will tell the whole story, but nobody in Tatum’s age range is on his level! They gotta win and show me, just like the media lied and said Tatum would need to do! It’s Tatum and the other youngins Aintum!

Amen! Saved me from typing out well he did score 30ppg but SGA isn't getting to the conference finals and beyond like him, Ant isn't passing it like him, defending like him, rebounding like him, etc, etc, so thank you!!

[shackles10]

Ant is a young player, he hasn't been around long enough to nitpick like JT has. SGA is having a monster season and is leading the youngest team in the league to a historically great record. That's unheard of. Who outside of NY considers Brunson a top 5 player (or having top 5 potential)? Seems like he's properly rated as a top 15 player(maybe lower end of the top 10 at best) by most people.

If Thunder fall short this year will SGA get the Tatum treatment though? They're basically the same age so I have my doubts. I think a lot of people put Tatum at the end of the top 10 and the fact that he gets All-NBA first team is just because he plays enough games compared to players they'd rate ahead of him otherwise so similar to Brunson rankings you're estimating.

Probably not to the same degree because people don't hate the Thunder like they hate the Celtics. There absolutely will be blowback though. Pretty much happens with everyone. People build guys up to break them down. Even Jokic and Giannis weren't immune to getting nitpicked before they won titles.

I think this is the underlying truth... Tatum gets hated on because the Celtics get hated on. If he were on the Lakers nah. If he were on a small market team probably also nah. Once a Celtic always a Celtic so if you're reading this JT and think going to another team EVER will eliminate it, also nah.

[ryan in Maine]

Any ways my wife doesn't care about sports, and doesn't know who SGA is, or Luka, or Jokic, or Brunson -- and wouldn't know about Tatum or Brown if I weren't a fanatic -- she just knows LeBron, Curry, and I guess Durant. Possibly Giannis but if so it's fading.

If 31to6's wife hasn't heard of you you're not a superstar.

[31to6]

Any ways my wife doesn't care about sports, and doesn't know who SGA is, or Luka, or Jokic, or Brunson -- and wouldn't know about Tatum or Brown if I weren't a fanatic -- she just knows LeBron, Curry, and I guess Durant. Possibly Giannis but if so it's fading.

If 31to6's wife hasn't heard of you you're not a superstar.

Watch on YouTube

[Shak_Celts]

I’m kind of a big freak. Nothing is better.

[ThePigeon]

I don't care about the disrespect (except from the refs which pisses me off)
I am just happy JT is on our team

I think that in the last two weeks we finally see him becoming his true self. He now KNOWS he can score on anyone. He is strong enough, big enough, long enough and has the handles to score on anyone and to stop anyone (except the sumo centers of the world). Of course not on every possession, but he sure can and I think he understand it.

One thing I thought yesterday, replace JT with anyone in the league - will we be better right now (not in the future)? Maybe Jokic, but that is it.
If you replace a star (or two) on any team with JT, will they be better? I guess most of the teams will fare better
This is a testament to his ability