The new NBA dads podcast got off to a fast start. And the one making headlines was Justin Tatum, Jayson Tatum’s father who, while discussing the upcoming season, surprised everyone by picking the New York Knicks as favorites to win the 2027 NBA championship. But more importantly, he found himself at the center of a controversy over a comment about the Celtics that quickly went viral.
Justin Tatum appeared on the first episode of Ultimate Dads Unpluggeda podcast featuring LaVar Ball, Dwyane Wade Sr., and Quenton Brown Sr. When the conversation turned to which team was favored to win the next championship, the other fathers naturally backed their respective sons’ teams. Tatum, however, took a different route.
Realistically, I could say New York could win again
Justin Tatum
The answer immediately drew reactions from the other guests. LaVar Ball pointed out that the Celtics were missing from his prediction, considering that his son Jayson plays in Boston.
The comment about the Celtics’ roster that stormed the social media
And this is where things get a little more complicated. While trying to explain his choice, Justin Tatum began a sentence with:
Right now, the roster…
Justin Tatum
An expletive can be heard immediately afterward, but Tatum is interrupted by the other participants and never gets to finish his thought. Within hours, however, a much harsher version began circulating on social media: “Right now, the Celtics’ roster sucks”.
The discussion starts at around the 11:33 mark of Saturday’s episode.
The problem? Justin Tatum never actually said those exact words.
In the original footage there is no such connection that turns his words into a definitive judgment on the team. Jayson’s father was beginning to talk about Boston’s roster, but he was interrupted before he could explain where he was going with his point.
That is no small distinction, especially considering how quickly the comment went viral.
A social media controversy born from an unfinished sentence
In the end, the most interesting part of the story may be precisely this. At a time of year when the NBA offseason has slowed down and there is still plenty of time before the start of preseason, a clipped sentence can quickly become a story much bigger than what was actually said.
Justin Tatum did not pick Boston to win the 2027 NBA championship. That is a fact. He picked the Knicks and appeared to have some doubts about the Celtics’ current roster construction.
But saying that Jayson Tatum’s father called the Celtics’ roster “shit” goes beyond what can actually be heard in the podcast.