Eddie Home makes use of LeBron instance to defend Tatum’s mindset vs. Warriors initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Boston
For Boston Celtics followers, Wednesday night time’s recreation towards the Golden State Warriors was Jayson Tatum’s probability to actual “revenge” on Steve Kerr for benching him twice on the 2024 Paris Olympics. For Tatum, nevertheless, it was simply one other Wednesday.
The Celtics star shut down the “revenge” narrative after Boston’s 118-112 loss to Golden State, insisting any injustice Kerr brought on him over the summer season wasn’t on his thoughts and calling out those that anticipated him to be extra fiery Wednesday night time.
“Folks need me to be louder. Folks need me to be imply or no matter,” Tatum stated. “One factor about Jayson is like, I am at all times going to do what the f— I need to do and strategy issues the way in which I need to strategy and what I really feel is honest to who I’m as an individual.”
Tatum clearly is comfy with how he approaches the sport, no matter whether or not folks prefer it or not. That self-confidence could be very spectacular to former Celtics guard Eddie Home, who noticed first-hand what occurs when superstars attempt to play outdoors themselves.
Home was a member of the 2010-11 Miami Warmth within the first season of the “Huge Three” period after LeBron James famously took his skills to South Seaside to group up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. And as Home defined Thursday on Arbella Early Version, James was so caught up with sending a message to his detractors after leaving his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers that it impacted his recreation that season.
“He was offended, and LeBron by no means performed the sport offended,” Home stated. “He at all times was blissful, had enjoyable and was happy-go-lucky. It was all about his teammates and stuff. (However) he had a chip on his shoulder as a result of how all people reacted to The Choice, and he wasn’t one of the best model of himself.”
Whereas James nonetheless had a powerful statistical season, his Warmth superteam fell to the Dallas Mavericks within the 2011 NBA Finals. James was the identical age as Tatum on the time (26), so Home lauds Tatum’s means at such a younger age to remain true to himself — particularly as a result of it delivers outcomes.
“I believe self-recognition and self-reflection is one of the best factor that Jayson Tatum has,” Home stated. “He won’t be a man who performs effectively offended! In the event you’re mad, you go on the market, you are so mad and also you’re amped as much as attempt to stick it to someone and be like, ‘Man, I am about to provide it to them’ and you then’re not one of the best model of your self.
“I believe the way in which that he dealt with it’s one thing that everyone simply has to embrace. He isn’t going to be Michael Jordan. He isn’t going to be the man that is available in like, ‘I will be this killer.’ He’ll be a killer while you take a look at the stats and play the sport, however he isn’t going to be a man like Kobe (Bryant). That is not his character, and that is OK, as a result of he nonetheless is ready ship the championship. He is nonetheless an All-NBA participant and Olympic gold medalist.
“So on the finish of the day, he is as embellished as they arrive, and that is the way in which he goes about it.”
Criticisms of Tatum’s mindset might have held extra weight earlier in his profession, however to Home’s level, they ring hole now that Tatum has an NBA championship, two Olympic gold medals, three All-NBA First Groups and extra on his resume. Even in Wednesday’s loss to the Warriors, Tatum delivered a powerful displaying with 32 factors on 10 of 20 capturing.
Tatum is embracing the mindset that helps him play his finest basketball, and the outcomes converse for themselves.
Hear extra from Eddie Home on Tatum within the video under or on YouTube.
