Zolak & Bertrand: Can Jayson Tatum be the face of the NBA?
On Monday’s edition of Zolak & Bertrand, Scott Zolak and Joe Murray debated whether Jayson Tatum can become the face of the NBA.
Jayson Tatum does more than Giannis Antetokounmpo…
Scott Zolak: Right now if you would say okay, who potentially looking forward could be the face league? Jayson Tatum or Giannis (Antetokounmpo). Give me your answer quick.
Joe Murray: I’d probably go Tatum because he might be more relatable.
Scott Zolak: Relatable to who and in what way?
Joe Murray: The father son aspect, you know, with his kid.
Scott Zolak: I don’t think kids see that.
Joe Murray: One is a European player that’s come here. Maybe there’s there’s that aspect to it.
Scott Zolak: T-Bone, who is yours?
T-Bone: Between the two, I’d say Giannis. From a marketable standpoint, he’s got the nickname. What’s Tatum’s nickname?
Scott Zolak: JT?
Joe Murray: Agent Zero is taken.
Scott Zolak: I don’t know, it’s there for him. For my basketball watching, it’s always been Jordan that it went to Kobe and Shaq. Then it was LeBron for this whole tenure. And now who’s the next guy? That’s a great question. I don’t look at Steph like LeBron and I know Steph’s won and he’s won a bunch. I just think LeBron for the dominant player that he is and where he’s been, and just watch how people gravitate to him and follow him. I’s Kobe esque. It’s Jordan esque. I don’t know if this guy has it in him to be that.
Joe Murray: Well, I think he obviously idolizes Kobe Bryant.
Scott Zolak: I’d like to be. Of course he does.
Joe Murray: But the game’s about the three point shot. Giannis doesn’t offer that. Giannis is up and down and struggles at free throws. You know they had to go out and get Damian Lillard who was the MVP by the way last night in the All-Star game. But I just don’t think Giannis can do it himself. And you could say the same thing about Tatum playing with Brown or whatever. I just think Tatum this year has sacrificed his game, has become a better playmaker, has made everybody else better and should be in the MVP conversation. Giannis is in it anyways because of his numbers. I think Tatum does more.