NBA
Brandon Jennings, Jayson Tatum Beef: Celtics Superstar Responds to ‘Soft’ Label
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All posts by Antonio KozlowUpdated3 hours ago on January 10, 2025
We’ve seen Jayson Tatum improve year after year ever since he was first picked by the Celtics, and nowadays, he’s currently in the midst of his best all-around NBA campaign for the reigning champions. Even so, the All-Star still can’t escape criticism from former NBA players.
In the most recent episode of the Gilbert Arena’s podcast, former point guard Brandon Jennings appeared on the show and took aim at the Boston forward. “Yo, is he the softest Boston Celtics superstar ever?” Jennings asked at the start of there week in a discussion with the host.
“… What do we know about Boston Celtics players? Like anybody that put on a Boston Celtics jersey from the 80s on up. They what? They cutthroat right? If you’re so tough, why you didn’t get Finals MVP last year? Why you let your running mate (Jaylen Brown) do it? If you so tough. If you so all this. Why you didn’t get it? Why you didn’t get it?”
Jayson Tatum, Joe Mazzulla respond to Brandon Jennings’ ‘softest’ Celtic criticism https://t.co/7pCthXvVfY
— Boston.com Celtics News (@BDCCeltics) January 10, 2025
JT, who isn’t big on controversy, responded subtly on his Instagram account on Wednesday by posting a photo that said “SoFtesT SuPeRstar in CeLtiC HiStoRy,” next to a laughing face emoji.
Jennings started off as a high school sensation and went on to be selected as a lottery pick in the 2009 NBA Draft by Milwaukee. Even though he did not live up to the expectations he carried from his teenage years, he was still able to play nine seasons in the league.
His last season in the NBA came just as Tatum and company eliminated the Bucks in a seven-game first round series. After his unfortunate comments, many others have come out to defend the Celtics star, including head coach Joe Mazzulla and even his trainer Drew Hansen.
“I liked Brandon Jennings as a player but we gotta stop the (cap),” Hanlen posted on X. “His comment that Tatum is ‘soft’ is pathetic. A soft player couldn’t lead their team in points, rebounds & assists to a title. A soft player wouldn’t have 51 points in a Game 7 or 31/11/8 to win finals. For fun, let’s compare.”
The truth is, the 26-year-old is set to become an All-Star for the sixth-consecutive time, as he’s been posting career highs in rebounds, assists and steals after 34 games of this 2024-25 campaign.
