I don’t think he meant any disrespect, and I actually understand the points that he’s making, but Draymond Green comparing Jayson Tatum to Jalen Hurts is wildly disrespectful. Yes, they are both champions and faces of the franchise, like he said. Yes, they are both very well put together, and yes, people still question them, as he said.
But that’s where it ends. Hurts is a great player and leader, but with him, the questions are valid. He has never thrown for 4,000 yards; he has never thrown for more than 25 touchdowns; he has some very ugly losses on his resume, and he has been vastly aided by the tush push, an elite offensive line, and a great defense.
Hurts made second-team All-Pro once, has made three Pro Bowls, and received MVP votes in one season over the course of his career. But nobody has ever put him in the conversation as one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL, and putting him in conversations with guys like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, or Lamar Jackson would be considered laughable.
Now take Tatum, who has made first-team All-NBA four times and made five All-NBA teams in total. He has made the All-Star game six times. He has received MVP votes in five different seasons and finished in the top six on four occasions.
Tatum is a top 5 NBA player, Hurts isn't even a top 5 QB
Forget his position, JT has clearly been one of the best players in the entire NBA for most of his career, and it’s not crazy to compare him to the very best players in the sport. Sure, his reputation and current standing have taken a slight dip after a torn Achilles, but even after that, he’s generally considered a top-10 player in the sport, at the very least.
If Tatum retired tomorrow, he’d be a shoo-in for the basketball Hall of Fame, and if he plays another 5-10 years, he’ll surely go down as one of the all-time greats to ever lace them up.
So, while I appreciate the comparison that Green was trying to make, it’s a ridiculous one that’s frankly insulting to Tatum. Hurts is great, but he’s nowhere close to Tatum’s level in terms of the NFL, and isn’t even one of the best at his own position. The questions about him are fair. In Tatum’s case, they have never been.
I appreciate the attempt at the cross-sport comparison here, but Draymond is simply way off course.
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