Jayson Tatum fires back at diss from former NBA guard
May 27, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) during the fourth quarter during game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Jayson Tatum is hitting back this week at his surprising new hater.
Ex-Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Jennings raised eyebrows this week with his comments about the Boston Celtics star Tatum. In an appearance on Gilbert Arenas’ show “Gil’s Arena,” Jennings slammed Tatum as “the softest Boston Celtics superstar ever.” Jennings took issue with Tatum’s game and questioned why he had “let” teammate Jaylen Brown win the Finals MVP award last season.
Here is the full clip of Jennings’ remarks (but beware of foul language).
BJ: "Is [Jayson Tatum] the softest Boston Celtics superstar ever?"
Gil: "Whoever saying he's soft… that's a soft ass 28ppg he's averaging. Go on out there and get your head bust!"
Brandon Jennings gets the Arena to crash out over his Jayson Tatum take pic.twitter.com/bwuEleCRB4
— Gilbert Arenas (@GilsArenaShow) January 5, 2025
In a post to Instagram on Wednesday, Tatum returned fire at Jennings. Coming off a Tuesday victory over the Denver Nuggets (Boston’s fourth win in their last five games), Tatum posted some of his recent highlights along with the caption, “SoFtesT SuPeRstar in CeLtiC HiStoRy.” That was in the style of the “Mocking SpongeBob” meme where someone uses alternating upper- and lower-case letters to mock something said by somebody else.
The five-time All-Star Tatum still has a good amount of detractors, even after winning his first career championship with the Celtics last season. Perhaps it has something to do with his cringeworthy antics or his blatant instances of plagiarism. But the now 35-year-old Jennings, who played in the NBA from 2009-17, is joining his chorus of haters, and Tatum is not afraid to hate right back at him.