On the “All The Smoke” podcast with former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Celtics star Jayson Tatum said that Wizards guard Bradley Beal is one of the most underrated players in the NBA. Matt Barnes asked Tatum who the most underrated player in the league is around the 60:05 mark in the video above.
Tatum said he might be biased before he mentioned Beal’s name. That’s because the two grew up together in St. Louis and have referred to each other as “brothers”. Brotherhood or not, Tatum is spot on.
Earlier this year, Beal was not selected as a 2020 NBA All-Star which left many scratching their heads, including him. Prior to the All-Star roster announcement he was third-leading scorer in the NBA’s Eastern Conference at 28.7 points per game.
In a January interview with NBC Sports Washington, Beal admitted he wasn’t happy about it. “I’m a little pissed off about it, but I know how I am, I was kind of expecting it, honestly,” he said. “It’s disrespectful, but the real ones know so I’m just gonna keep competing and try to get my team to the playoffs for sure.”
After finding out he didn’t make the cut, Beal put up 34 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists in a win against the Charlotte Hornets.
If there’s one thing we learned about Beal it’s that he keeps his head high and he keeps it moving.
Before the coronavirus pandemic postponed the season, Beal was averaging 30.5 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game.