Being the primary superstar on arguably the most storied NBA franchise, you would think that Jayson Tatum would undoubtedly be next in like to be the face of the league. He surely has all the accolades to back it up – Five Conference Finals appearances, six All-Star selections, and one championship. But while Tatum’s stacked resume at merely 27 years old hints that he should carry the torch after LeBron James and Stephen Curry, in reality, the Celtics star is having a hard time even ranking ahead of draft prospect Cooper Flagg!

Yes, per The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, Tatum ranked twelfth among the past decade’s top NBA prospects heading into the draft. Meanwhile, this year’s consensus number one pick, Flagg, ranked second, only behind French sensation Victor Wembanyama. Of course, Vecenie graded the players only based on their resumes when they entered the draft. How they eventually fared in the NBA was not taken into consideration. Regardless, it’s still a blow for Tatum, as eleven players, including Markelle Fultz, Ben Simmons and DeAndre Ayton, ranked ahead of him.

Amid the media insult, JT responded through a collaboration with the $6.9 billion luxury fashion brand, Coach. He shared a post on his IG story, doing a Q&A style video with the brand. When asked what he looks for in a watch, the Celtics superstar made a cryptic confession that applies to his preferences in watches and also his personal life, “It’s all about being simple, subtle, yet confident. Those that know, they know.”

While it’s unclear who Tatum was referring to, his message could be a subtle dig at his critics. Eight years into his career, it’s clear that he was the best player in his draft class. Meanwhile, multiple prospects who ranked ahead of him in Vecenie’s list failed to meet expectations. And talking of the next face of NBA, JT firmly believes that his name should be in the discussion, “Face of the NBA? They can always debate. But it’s like, I check off all the boxes.” Here’s how!

Jayson Tatum delivers hard evidence for next face of NBA claim amid Achilles recovery

Well, the media has constantly pushed young stars like Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to be the next big thing once Steph and LBJ retire. But they currently lack the accolades to carry that mantle. On the other hand, Tatum has consistently proven that he is one of the best superstars in the league, who can play winning basketball.

“If you took the name and the face away from all my accomplishments and you’re just like ‘This is what this Player A accomplished at 26,’ people would talk about [me] a lot differently.” He said in an interview earlier this year. Tatum continued, “Did he win a championship? Yes. Did he win gold medals? Yes. Was he always a part of winning seasons? Was he first-team All-NBA? Those are things that you know are hard evidence.”

While many complain that Tatum lacks the aura and personality required to be THE guy, his performance on the court says otherwise. Maybe, its time he starts getting treated that way. As of now, JT is recovering from the season-ending Achilles injury he suffered during the playoffs. Hopefully, when he returns, the hooping community will look at him in a different light and give him the respect that he deserves. Thoughts?