Colin Cowherd has made a U-turn in his opinion about Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum. Past and present, Cowherd has been a vocal critic of Tatum, one of the best two-way NBA players.

Fox Sports 1 Releases Statement On Colin Cowherd's Health - The Spun

After saying he wasn’t at the same level as other stars such as Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James and Stephen Curry, Cowherd commended Tatum’s competitiveness, which is hard to see from other high-profile players.

On Sunday, the FOX Sports analyst compared Tatum’s availability to players often load managing, calling the 2024 NBA champion the “heartbeat” of the league since he does not skip games by election.

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) warms up before a game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center.

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) warms up before a game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center.

John Jones-Imagn Images

“You know where load management isn’t a problem? Boston,” Cowherd said. “If your star shows up every night, the rest of the team falls in line.

Forget load management, I want lead management, and Jason Tatum, he’s that guy. I’ve been to three or four Celtics games.

Private Equity Firms Circle Colin Cowherd's Podcast Empire

“He’s always the first guy on the floor in warmups. Locked in, both ends. He’s not coasting, not pacing himself. He plays hard every single night.

That’s a big deal. I don’t think he’s quite the face of the league yet, but he might be the heartbeat. The Celtics’ best player is also their hardest worker.”

Tatum has repeatedly stated his desire to be the face of the league. After winning the 2024 NBA title and the gold medal in the Summer Olympics, the forward entered a new season without the pressure of winning a ring.

Tatum has played in 67 of 74 regular-season matchups as his team continues the quest to win back-to-back championships.