Hardwood Houdini
Fansided

Kyrie Irving Next up to Praise Jayson Tatum

By Joshua Bateman

TARRYTOWN, NY - AUGUST 11: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics poses for a photo during the 2017 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot at MSG training center on August 11, 2017 in Tarrytown, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Babineau/Getty Images)
TARRYTOWN, NY - AUGUST 11: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics poses for a photo during the 2017 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot at MSG training center on August 11, 2017 in Tarrytown, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Babineau/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Kyrie Irving had some great things to say about rookie Jayson Tatum

It should not come as a surprise that a player taken number three overall in the draft is being praised. That being said, it feels as though people are starting to believe that Jayson Tatum may be a little bit extra, and you will not hear a single negative thing from anyone.

Okay, most of this praise is from within the organization itself, but that does not make them unfounded. In fact, those closer to him might lean towards tempering expectations, but that has not been the case.

First, you had Brad Stevens and Danny Ainge, who made it abundantly clear that he was the best player in the draft. When you take into account how universally loved Markelle Fultz was, and that does mean something.

For as special as everyone else though Fultz is going to be, the Celtics truly believe that Tatum is going to be something more.

More from Hardwood Houdini

Fultz was touted as the home run, the NBA ready player that would transform a franchise, while Tatum was not even guaranteed landing in the top three.

The Celtics gave him the most praise possible by passing up on a player that everyone thought they would easily take.

After that, one of his better comparisons came out. Paul Pierce did not just say Tatum was a good rookie. Pierce made it out as though Tatum was already as good as a perennial All Star in the middle of his prime.

Pierce could have praised the rookie but he chose to compare him to some of the best versions of himself. I do not care where it is coming from, any time a hall of famer compares a rookie to a hall of famer, it carries some weight.

And now it is his newest teammate Kyrie Irving who is fully buying into this rookie being a spectacular talent. Irving recently had this to say about the rookie:

"That dude is so talented and he has a ceiling that sometimes you can’t even really see it because — you won’t be able to see it all the time because the amount of the respect that he has to earn as a rookie. But his talent is through the roof"

Literally every significant person that has said anything about Tatum has been on the same page, this guy has the kind of talent that could change a franchise.

Irving captured something else important too. Tatum does not need to be an All Star in his rookie season to prove that he has this talent. Tatum will have to earn the role that will allow him to showcase that talent, but it could take time before he gets a chance to really show us what he can do.

Next: Celtics Favoured in East Accoring to BPI

It is amazing how much better Ainge’s draft day trade looks like now compared to when he originally pulled it off. Tatum is impressing everyone, and he is doing it with the mentality that he has to put in the work, and earn that opportunity to prove all his supporters right.

Home/Celtics News