Shannon Sharpe and Gilbert Arenas recently reunited on the recent episode of night cap to discuss topics related to the NBA. During the show, the two experts also talked about how Jayson Tatum’s expectations are unrealistic. The 26-year-old has been considered by many to be “the face of the league,” but his ability to win the championship still calls that into question.
The Boston Celtics are without a doubt one of the best teams in the NBA this season. Amid all this success, Jayson Tatum has become a candidate to represent the next generation of basketball players. ‘The face of the league’, as many call her, should rightfully fall to Jayson Tatum. But before that happens, Tatum may need to hit a milestone or two.
While Gilbert Arenas reminded Shannon Sharpe that everyone expects more from Tatum compared to other stars, Sharpe reminded him of some legends of the game. Although most of them have already won a championship when they were “the face of the league”, it is difficult for young people today. However, when mentioning Magic Johnson, Sharpe said
“We will never see a Magic [ Magic Johnson] again. There is no one who comes out of his rookie year and wins Finals MVP. “That’s not happening.”
Sharpe was right to point out inconsistencies in keeping Magic as a reference point. The 55-year-old coach also points out that young players who win championships often do so thanks to other generational players.
When mentioning the example of Kobe Bryant, Sharpe would point to Shaq’s dominance as his supporting force. In Jordan’s case, Sharpe would mention that His Airness was 29 years old when he won his first championship.
Jayson Tatum has already accomplished a lot
With LeBron turning almost 40 this year and Curry soon turning 36, the time has definitely come for the NBA to change hands. With the upcoming departure of the older generation, the question of “who is the face of the league” arises once again.
A name that is often associated with this debate is Jayson Tatum. The Boston forward is only 26 years old. Having already visited the Eastern Conference Finals on four different occasionsTatum is by far the most battle-tested for his age. The Boston forward also led his team to the NBA Finals during his career in 2022, but unfortunately was outplayed by Curry and the Warriors.
If you ask Tatum, he’s ready. The Boston guard sounded confident when asked about his chances of being the next face of the NBA.Answering questions [ with relation to Tatum being the face of the league] Tatum would reveal, according to CBS News
“But yeah, when LeBron retires, the face of the league… that’s tough… But, we won a championship, I have something to say about that. I know that.”
With players like Anthony Edwards, Luka Doncic, Shai-Gilgeious Alexander, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo still in line, it’s hard to say if Tatum should be crowned the new King of the league. This season is definitely Tatum’s time, as the Boston forward won’t have a better chance to claim a championship.
