Tatum appeared on the Dan Patrick Show on Thursday and opened up about several topics, including the narratives about his relationship with Brown.
In this article, I'm going to intermix the television show Friends with the Boston Celtics.
I'll get there, I promise.
But let me say this first: When Jayson Tatum says he "loves" Jaylen Brown, like he did on Thursday's edition of the 'Dan Patrick Show,' you should believe him.
The media, and the fans, have tried to create a wedge between Tatum and Brown for a long time, and I've never believed that wedge existed, at least from Tatum's side. Do I think it exists from Brown's side? I do, to a degree. I'd be much more skeptical of him saying he loves Tatum than the other way around.
Tatum is going to keep getting asked about his relationship with Brown, and he's going to keep giving this same answer, and I'm going to keep believing him.
Now, why do I feel that way?
1) Tatum is a generally soft-spoken and nice person. I frankly think he gets along with most people. I don't believe he enjoys confrontation and I don't believe he seeks it out. It's part of the reason why some are critical of his game as a player: He's too nice. In this case, I think it's true. I never felt he was looking to beef with Brown, and I never thought he really did. And I don't believe he will in the future.
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) and forward Jayson Tatum (0) warm up before the start of game one of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at TD Garden. David Butler II-Imagn Images2) Now, back to Friends." Do you remember that Ross Gellar and Monica were brother and sister? Well, one of the underlying stories of the show was that Monica always felt that their parents liked Ross better than her. She resented Ross for it, and she told him as such in a season two episode. Ross never knew. His status as the favorite child was never in doubt, and he didn't realize how it affected his sister.
I do believe that dynamic played out with the Celtics. I think Tatum was long anointed as the "next big thing" for the Celtics, and I think he was given the keys to the franchise. I think that Brown probably was resentful about that, and I do believe he was probably always on a mission to prove people wrong, or to level the playing field.
If Brown was resentful of Tatum, or of the organization that elevated him, it wouldn't shock me in the slightest. But I've never thought that Tatum felt the same way. Maybe his status in the organization made it easy to not see the other side, but regardless, when Tatum talks about Brown in the way he does, I think you should believe him.
The Celtics and 76ers will play each other twice in the preseason and four times in the regular season. So we'll get plenty of chances to see their relationship on display.
