Stephen A. Smith backs Carmelo Anthony's claim that Jayson Tatum doesn't have an ‘aura’ to be the next face of the NBA: “His persona doesn't say that”

Carmelo Anthony made waves recently regarding his hot take surrounding Jayson Tatum. According to Melo, the Boston Celtics star doesn't possess an 'aura' unlike Anthony Edwards to exactly meet the criteria of being the next face of the NBA.

From Stephen A. Smith's viewpoint, Anthony didn't make a mistake in pointing out what he sees around JT: a player who has yet to embrace the moment and demonstrate that striking demeanor.

"Carmelo Anthony is not wrong, ladies and gentlemen. When we look at Jayson Tatum, he is an absolute stud and a superstar in this league – a 27.0 points per game scorer, a champion now, the brother's big time, and he's special. But here's what Carmelo Anthony is alluding to, even if he didn't completely articulate it. He's right. You have certain guys that they're just about their business, grab my lunch pail, show up to work, handle my business, do my job, then go home – that's a lot of players. But then you have special dudes that you can tell gravitating to being the marquee. They want to be the marquee; they want to be the people you're looking at, the headline, to steal the show, the attention; they want the allure, the acclaim, and all that comes with it. This is what they want," he said in the Stephen A. Smith Show.

No sizzle

Following his 2024 NBA championship win with the Celtics, JT indisputably cemented his case as one of the league's superstars. As such, he holds a robust resumé to support his claim: a five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA member, and other key individual accolades just at age 26.

But despite these significant achievements already, that doesn't make him convincing enough and a cut above the rest. For the ESPN personality, JT offers nothing eye-catching based on what he presents on and off the court.

"We love seeing Jayson Tatum with Deuce, we love seeing them on the podium together, in the pregame, on the court together, walking out on a postgame, we love all of that beautiful imagery. Great model and that stuff is true. But that ain't sizzle," he argued. "Sizzle is Ant-Man, Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic. That's what we talking about. That kind of attitude. … Russell Westbrook is sizzle, KD sizzle, LeBron and Steph sizzle. Something that extends greatness beyond the basketball court. A persona something that embodies you in a way that most other people can't pull off."

Still a special one

Based on what we're witnessing, it's fair to acknowledge that JT doesn't have that swagger and 'It' factor compared to some of the legends we knew. Yes, he can produce tremendously on a nightly basis, but nothing is intriguing about how he carries himself, unlike what we see with Edwards, who boasts swagger and a sometimes goofy personality. This leads people to mention Tatum as a boring player when he acts beyond what he's been relatively known for.

But in the end, there's nothing wrong with JT for having a dull identity. Celtics fans are even happier about who he is as a person and a player. He might not offer that much of a unique appeal that catches the attention of everyone in the room, but Tatum will always be expected to get the job done without any drama involved.

His lack of charisma doesn't diminish the fact that he's one of the best players in the world, and he's just about to welcome more incredible things ahead.

Related: Carmelo Anthony shares how if Jayson Tatum had the same aura as Anthony Edwards, he would've been the next face of the NBA