In a narrative-driven league defined by its biggest superstars, perhaps no player receives more unnecessary strays than Jayson Tatum.
The Celtics' superstar is enjoying perhaps his best season yet for a team currently favored to win a second straight NBA title. He's eyeing a fourth straight All-NBA First-Team selection, averaging career highs in rebounds and assists, and checking every box you'd want from a 27-year-old in the thick of his prime starring for one of the league's most iconic franchises.
And yet for every on-court accolade, Tatum seems to consistently shoulder far more questions about his place in the game.
MORE: Do the Celtics have a Donovan Mitchell problem?
Benched in the Olympics? Confirmation he's still not on a truly elite level.
Mundane personality displayed in the Netflix show alongside LeBron James, Jimmy Butler, Anthony Edwards and Domantas Sabonis? Proof that he lacks superstar charisma.
Losing out on Finals MVP and ECF MVP to Jaylen Brown? More fuel to the fire even as he wins his first ring.
And so naturally, there's a viral TikTok edit now also circulating around X featuring a recent Colin Cowherd audio clip set to dramatic music, beaming about the game's most iconic legends. It's peak NBA internet.
30 seconds in, you still have no idea where he's going with it.
Until finally he name drops Tatum... and so continues the trolling:
Hilariously brutal, completely unnecessary. In other words, peak NBA internet content in 2025.
Here's the entire transcript.
"Close your eyes. Think about Magic Johnson. You can see the smile. Think about Michael. You can see that cocky grin. Think about LeBron. You can see the imagery. Pregame. Chalk. You can close your eyes and there are images of the stars. Close your eyes now and do it with Tatum. I don't see anything."
Not nice, Colin.
The sports media landscape has some flame throwers. And if we're being honest, takes like this are all for showmanship and banter, not to be taken too seriously.
That said, I laughed. And as one X user so succintly put it, "Colin Cowherd still got that fastball."