It’s no secret that Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla is a big fan of soccer.
And after taking a question from a Brazilian reporter regarding Jayson Tatum ahead of Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals, Mazzulla drew on that fandom to make a unique comparison regarding his star player.
“The lens with which Brazilian soccer players are looked at is similar to how American athletes are looked at by their media,” Mazzulla said during a lengthy back-and-forth with the reporter, according to The Athletic. “You look at where Neymar has been over his time, taking on the No. 10 (jersey) and the No. 9. Who do you think has dealt with the most and how do you think they’ve handled it?”
Mazzulla later added: “I would say the same thing for Tatum. (Neymar is) the first No. 10 to take on the weight of Brazil since the social media era. Who before Neymar was involved in that social media area? He’s so good, everything you can do can be taken for granted. When he won the gold medal by making the game-winning penalty kick, you would have thought that would have solidified it but it hasn’t.”
Joe Mazzulla has a lengthy back-and-forth with a Brazilian reporter about the similarities in the ways the media has criticized Jayson Tatum and Neymar throughout their careers pic.twitter.com/pIWtnfzlWo
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) June 11, 2024
Mazzulla’s main point seems to be that much like Neymar, nothing Tatum does seems to be enough. Despite being a five-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA first-team selection at the age of 26, many fans and media members point to his perceived shortcomings, such as the reality he has yet to lead Boston to an NBA title.
That, of course, should change if the Celtics win two games against the Dallas Mavericks, with Boston entering Game 3 of the Finals with a 2-0 series lead. Then again, if Neymar’s career is any indication, perhaps there will still be critics pointing to what the Duke product hasn’t done instead of celebrating what he has accomplished.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.