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Former Boston Celtics guard and 2008 NBA champion Eddie House did not hold back in his defense of Jayson Tatum, labeling the Celtics forward as the “most disrespected” star in the league.
In a recent interview with Boston.com’s Conor Ryan, House voiced frustration over Tatum's continued exclusion from the MVP conversation despite his consistent All-NBA caliber play.
“Most disrespected superstar in the league,” House said. “Most disrespected All-NBA First-Team player in the league. Was it three straight years he’s been All-NBA? He’s disrespected.”
Tatum, 27, was notably absent from this year’s list of MVP finalists, which included Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. The omission comes after another standout regular season from the Celtics forward.
Jayson Tatum’s all-around dominance powers Celtics past Magic as injury clouds Game 2 status
In his eighth NBA season, Tatum averaged 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, six assists and 1.1 steals per game across 72 contests. He shot 45.2% from the field and 34.3% from beyond the arc. Tatum also became just the second player in Celtics history, alongside Larry Bird, to lead the team in total points, rebounds, assists, and steals in multiple seasons.
“And that’s OK, because sometimes that’s fuel for the fire and for the greater good of what the Boston Celtics are doing,” House added. “I think it’s turning him into a monster, and eventually, he’s gonna get that MVP. So thank you, everybody.”
The Celtics are currently in the midst of their 2025 postseason campaign as they seek to defend their 2024 NBA championship. Boston took a 1-0 lead in their first-round series against the Orlando Magic following a dominant Game 1 win on Easter Sunday.
However, Tatum’s availability for Game 2 remains in question. The team listed him as doubtful after he sustained a right distal radius bone bruise. The injury occurred when Tatum went up for a layup and was met at the rim by both Wendell Carter Jr. and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. A swipe from Caldwell-Pope in midair disrupted Tatum’s balance, resulting in a hard fall onto his right wrist.
Despite the injury, Tatum finished the game with 17 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, a steal, and a block. He posted a team-best plus-minus of +23 in the win.
Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. ET on TNT.
