Celtics

Kevin Durant says Jayson Tatum ‘in conversation’ with LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan

Published by
Brad Sullivan

Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant offered Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum some lofty praise by comparing him to LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan.

Durant offered the comment during a recent podcast appearance and made the comparison while noting the difficulty of defending the blossoming superstar.

“I had series against Kobe, LeBron, Tim Duncan. … Jayson Tatum is in that conversation now,” Durant said.

During the first two games of the recent playoff series between the Nets and Celtics, Durant held Tatum to moderate scoring totals.

However, Tatum then exploded over the final three games of the brief series. He dropped 50 points in Game 3, 40 points in Game 4 and then 32 points in Game 5. Still, Tatum’s heroics couldn’t stop the Nets from dispatching of the Celtics in just five games.

Tatum’s talent has never really been in question. After all, he was the No. 3 overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft.

Durant knows how much pressure someone in Tatum’s position can feel, since he was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. That’s surely part of why he willingly offered such high praise to the young superstar.

Brad Sullivan

Brad has written on a variety of both NBA and NFL topics and has worked previously as a sports information director at the collegiate level. A lifetime fan of sports, he's witnessed countless great moments in different sports and understands that stories can be compelling from both the perspective of winners and losers. As a frustrated fan of Cleveland sports, he experienced something unprecedented when the Cavaliers won the city's first championship in 52 years.

Published by
Brad Sullivan

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