Joe Mazzula hits back at Jayson Tatum’s criticism of Brandon Jennings

Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla tended to grow tension between Jayson Tatum and Brandon Jennings on Friday. The former Milwaukee Bucks guard sparked controversy on social media with his comments about Tatum. At Gill’s Arena, Jennings called the Celtics star “soft.”

hammer defended his star player and gave Jennings a pointed reminder of his own playing career.

Joe Mazzula hits back at Brandon Jennings’ comments on Jayson Tatum

“Sometimes the older you are, the better you are as a player. You forget, like – and that’s all, people say that. So if we all kind of remembered what we were back then, we probably wouldn’t have so many opinions about other people,” said the Celtics head coach.

“Is he the softest Boston Celtics superstar ever?” Jennings asked on the podcast.

After Arenas suggested “the calmest” as a more appropriate label, Jennings stood firm. “No, soft!” he replied, before briefly trying to clarify, stating that his comment stemmed from his belief about what opponents fear.

Jennings then returned to his original point, wondering if anyone would consider Tatum tougher than Celtics legends like Larry Bird, Kevin Garnett, Kevin McHale, Paul Pierce or Bill Russell.

Tatum averaged 28.1 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 34 games while shooting 46.3% from the field.

In response to Brandon Jennings’ comment, Tatum fired back on Instagramshares videos and photos of himself with a caption that seems to have struck a chord with the former Bucks player.

“SOFTEST SUPERSTAR IN CELTIC HISTORY😅,” Tatum said on Instagram

“This is the energy I want!!!!” Jennings responded to Tatum’s post.

Celtics coach learns about criticism

Macula also talked about Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown criticizing in the same interview.

“I don’t want them to believe all the positives or all the negatives,” Macula said. “Because both can be harmful and neither is that important.” What do they think about themselves, what do I think about them, what does the team think, what do the people closest to them (are) think.”

One tactic the coach uses, according to Mazzulla, is presenting Tatum and Brown with a timeline of criticism that several NBA legends have endured throughout their careers.

“I give them a timeline like, here’s what they said about him in the beginning/ Here’s what they said about him in the middle, and here’s what they said about him at the end, and it was funny how people kept bouncing back and forth in their opinions,” Macula remarked.

“But you just share a perspective because every player has been through something. If you want to be great, you’ll get through it. So it will help to keep some perspective on it,” he continued.

Macula and the Celtics have faced criticism this season

Macula, a former West Virginia college basketball player without an NBA career, admitted he could not comment on how former players use their platforms to criticize current players.

The Celtics coach emphasized that the lesson goes beyond basketball. He explained that everyone faces criticism, and the way we experience it affects how we deal with it and how we give it.

Joe Macula emphasized that players should not rely on the judgment of others to prove their worth, noting that Tatum’s accomplishments speak for themselves.

Despite leading Boston to a championship, Macula faced criticism. The Celtics suffered losses to some of the NBA’s best teams during the 2024-25 season, including the OKC Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Celtics have also been defeated by teams such as the Philadelphia 76ers and the Atlanta Hawks.