Jayson Tatum has had enough.
The Boston Celtics superstar seems to be on a collision course with technical fouls, and he’s not backing down anytime soon. In a league where even the greatest players draw the occasional whistle, Tatum has made it an art form, and not in a good way. His techs don’t trickle in—they flood in, wave after wave, creating an almost surreal situation for the NBA. And now, he’s calling out Commissioner Adam Silver with a jaw-dropping request.
In a recent rapid-fire interview with Bleacher Report Kicks, the five-time All-Star didn’t hold back when asked about a rule he would change. Without blinking, Tatum shot straight: “I would take technical fouls out of the game.”
Wait, what? You heard that right. The 26-year-old phenom is fed up with his frequent trips to the line, thanks to a staggering amount of technical fouls. And the reason? Well, it’s brutally honest: “I get a lot of techs,” Tatum admitted, acknowledging his well-documented habit of collecting infractions like trading cards.
To put it into perspective, Tatum has already kissed goodbye to an eye-popping $149,000 in fines due to his constant sparring with referees. Yes, that’s nearly the cost of a luxury car—gone, all thanks to what Tatum believes are often “unnecessary” whistles. His clashes with officials have become a recurring subplot every time he steps on the court, and he’s not shy about expressing his frustration.
The 2023/24 season has already witnessed Tatum racking up a string of technical fouls, and each time, he’s there, glaring at the referee as if the call were a personal vendetta. He’s made it clear: he’s tired of the technicals, tired of the fines, and most of all, tired of what he views as unjustified calls.
Jayson Tatum is no stranger to speaking his mind, and if he had his way, the NBA would look very different. In a league where emotions run high and players often walk the thin line between passion and penalties, Tatum’s plea to eliminate technical fouls altogether could send shockwaves through the sport.
