Colin Cowherd christens $34,848,340 star with nickname "The Password" because he's 'commonly forgotten'
Jayson Tatum is one of the names included in conversations about the best young players in the NBA. However, the Boston Celtics forward has said that he doesn't feel like he gets the respect he deserves despite how much success he has had in his career. The discussion around Tatum led to Colin Cowherd giving him a new nickname: "The Password".
On Friday, the FS1 host revealed the nickname for Tatum, who will be paid $34,848,340 this year by the Celtics (according to Spotrac), and said that he is often overlooked when talking about the best players in the NBA.
Cowherd broke down why he thinks Tatum deserves the moniker. According to him, Tatum isn't one of the faces of the league because of how he conducts himself on and off the court. His talent is undeniable but he is more of an afterthought.
"So, I think his nickname should be "The Password" because he's commonly forgotten," Cowherd said on Friday, via 'The Herd.' "People are putting him in this Ronaldo-Messi class. I'm just saying, he's more Wayne Rooney."
Cowherd's perspective on Tatum isn't uncommon among NBA experts. The six-time All-Star isn't often brought up in conversations as much as young stars like Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Victor Wembanyama despite having more career and playoff success than them. Tatum works more quietly and he is doing so again this season.
Jayson Tatum's quiet case for MVP
Jayson Tatum has been the leader of the Boston Celtics and has put up excellent stats as he has guided them to deep playoff runs. This season, Tatum is a contender for the MVP award again, averaging 26.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and a career-high 8.1 assists in 59 games.
Despite not having won the award yet, Tatum has been a consistent member of the list of contenders throughout the season. On Friday's updated version of the MVP Ladder, the NBA ranked him fourth in contention, behind Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
While Tatum might not get the media attention and fan admiration he might deserve, his success is difficult to ignore. Boston has been to five Eastern Conference finals and two NBA finals, taking home the championship last year.