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[Saba Sports News] Brandon Jennings has faced backlash for his comments on Jayson Tatum, with Patrick Beverley being the latest to criticize him. On a live episode of The Pat Bev Podcast with Rone, Beverley pushed back on Jennings’ claim that Tatum is the “softest Boston Celtics superstar ever.”
Beverley also took a jab at Jennings, suggesting he thought the former guard was soft during their playing days.
“Just because [Tatum’s] not yelling and you can’t see his tattoos doesn’t mean he’s soft,” Beverley argued. “He’s skilled as f***, talented as f***, has size, and has won a championship. They’ve been one of the most successful teams over the last four years. That’s a bad take.” Beverley added, “When I guarded Brandon Jennings, I was like, ‘Yeah, soft a**.'”
Beverley’s pointed remarks reference their brief on-court history, where Jennings struggled against him, averaging just 9.0 points on 28.1% shooting across three games.
Beverley, now playing for Hapoel Tel Aviv, clearly doesn’t hold Jennings in high regard. With Jennings’ tendency to engage in verbal spats, it will be interesting to see if he responds—perhaps on Gil’s Arena, where the criticism of Tatum first began.
Earlier this month, Jennings questioned Tatum’s toughness, saying, “Is he the softest Boston Celtics superstar ever? If you’re so tough, why didn’t you get Finals MVP last year? Why’d you let your running mate [Jaylen Brown] do it? I think I’d be more afraid of Jaylen than Jayson.”
Jennings’ argument has been widely criticized, and even Tatum indirectly addressed it with grace. On Instagram, Tatum dismissed the remarks, later telling reporters, “I think it comes with being one of the best players in the league. The more you accomplish, the more people nitpick. If I wasn’t who I am, people wouldn’t talk about me as much.”
Tatum, at 26, continues to prove his dominance, averaging 27.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists this season while leading the Celtics to a 29-12 record.
His stellar performances and consistent leadership make it clear that “soft” is far from an accurate label. Players like Tatum recognize that criticism often reflects their relevance and status as elite competitors in the league.