Locked On Celtics (Sept 9, 2025): Celtics Disrespect? Tatum & Brown Too Low in Locked On’s Top 100 NBA Players
Episode Overview
Host John Karalis digs deep into the Locked On Podcast Network’s newly-released NBA Top 100 list—a ranking contributed to by Locked On NBA hosts. Five Boston Celtics appear, but John argues that Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are ranked egregiously low, sparking a passionate critique of the process and underlying media narratives. The episode provides a detailed breakdown of where Celtics players landed, why Karalis takes issue with their placements, and what it says about larger trends in NBA discourse.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Locked On Top 100 List: Celtics Rankings
(04:45–07:44)
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Celtics listed in Top 100:
- Jayson Tatum: #10
- Jaylen Brown: #21
- Derrick White: #37
- Payton Pritchard: #96
- Anfernee Simons (recently acquired): #99
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Note: John Karalis, typically a voter, missed his chance to submit a ballot this time due to personal matters, acknowledging “My bad. I had some personal things going on this summer...did not submit a top 100” (05:52).
2. Main Outrage: Tatum’s Ranking at #10
(07:55–19:10)
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Top 10 rundown:
- Nikola Jokic
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Luka Doncic
- Stephen Curry
- Anthony Edwards
- Victor Wembanyama
- Jalen Brunson
- Donovan Mitchell
- Jayson Tatum
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Karalis’s Reaction:
- “I have a problem with Anthony Edwards. I have a problem with Jalen Brunson. I have a little problem with Donovan Mitchell, Steph at 5. At his age, I still have... I would have Tatum probably five in this. No worse than five.” (09:39)
- Frustrated by “certified Tatum haters doing podcasts” and bias from fan-hosts forgetting objectivity. (12:18)
- Clarifies the list was made “ignoring injury”—Tatum’s Achilles rehab shouldn’t have affected rank, suggesting systemic underrating of his game.
- Contrasts Tatum’s unflashy, under-the-radar style versus “sexy” highlights and personalities of Edwards, Brunson, Doncic, etc.
- Details Tatum’s two-way impact: “He is not a negative on the defensive end… Tatum is one of three elite players, top offensive players and really good defensive players—him, Giannis, Wemby.” (15:37)
- Vent on Edwards: “Anthony Edwards hasn’t earned number six. Put him at 10 at the very least. He has not earned that yet. That’s...this is where I have a real problem. Tatum at 10. Come on. That’s outrageous to me. Outrageous.” (18:44)
- Notable: “He’s a perennial first team All-NBA guy, top five, consistently top five. And even after the injury, he will go back to being a top five player.” (19:01)
3. Jaylen Brown’s Spot at #21: Justified?
(23:04–29:15)
- Players 11–20:
- Includes Durant, LeBron, Haliburton, Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, Devin Booker, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jalen Williams.
- Karalis’s Take:
- “I think Jalen should be in the top 20. Now. He has, he starts that next list. Jalen at 21... I think he’s above Jalen Williams. He’s above Karl-Anthony Towns. I think Kawhi drops into like 20 at this point.”
- On Brown’s resume: “He has had that flirtation with All-NBA, so we say top 15… his injuries do hold him back. His three-point shooting was not good last year... his free throw shooting knocks him down a little bit. But I still think overall he’s better than 21.” (28:04)
- Suggests a ranking re-do at the All-Star break: “Jalen, I still think is at least the top 20 player in the league. Is he top 15? That’s tough...But I think Jalen will show himself to be better than 21.”
4. Derrick White at #37: Perpetually Underrated
(33:04–41:00)
- Context:
- White is below Bam Adebayo, Domantas Sabonis, De'Aaron Fox, Jamal Murray, Franz Wagner, Alperen Sengun.
- Karalis: “I would not have put Derrick White below Jamal Murray. Definitely not below Franz Wagner. Wagner at 35 is surprising. Very surprising.” (35:42)
- Praises White’s fundamental soundness: “Fundamentally one of the best players in the game. That guy rarely makes mistakes… I trust Derrick White maybe more than anybody, right? Think about just on the Celtics.”
- On White’s late-game value: “I would be including Derrick White in every end of game situation. He should be a big time option at the end of games.” (40:08)
- Summary: White’s ranking doesn’t match his advanced stats, IQ, or overall impact—Karalis views him as a top-30ish player.
5. Payton Pritchard (#96) and Anfernee Simons (#99): Nice, But Not Meaningful
(44:20–49:19)
- Quick Hit:
- Pritchard’s ascent to top 100 is celebrated: “I’m just going to celebrate Pritchard here for making it into the top 100, because, man, he’s worked hard for it.” (48:08)
- Acknowledges: “Once you get to, like, 80—it’s… I don’t think anybody even knows. The last 20 guys are just kind of so evenly matched that you could just throw them in a pile like Scrabble letters.” (48:25)
- Simons: “Who knows how the Simons thing is going to work out.” (49:00)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On Tatum’s perception:
“Tatum is boring in a lot of ways. His post games…even the good Tatum quotes are kind of measured and nothing crazy. Anthony Edwards, you don’t know what he’s gonna say sometimes… Tatum just comes out and does his thing and I think that holds him back in the overall conversation, how he’s perceived.” (13:28) -
Direct frustration:
“Why are you putting Jalen Brunson ahead of Jason Tatum? Are you kidding me? Jalen Brunson? Get out of here.” (16:50) -
Assessment of Tatum’s all-around game:
“You don’t worry about [Tatum]. They don’t attack Tatum, they don’t put Tatum in pick and rolls. For all of his offensive…numbers, he is a really good defender.” (15:54) -
On Jaylen Brown’s placement:
“They don’t… you drop them down when you want to. Like where do you rank them? But when you want to put Jalen down a little bit, you’re like, well, you got to play next to Jason Tatum. He’s an elite player, man. You can’t. What do you do?” (29:29) -
On Derrick White’s trust factor:
“When I talk about players that I trust, I trust Derrick White maybe more than anybody, right?” (40:16)
Timestamps – Important Segments
- 04:45 – List breakdown and Celtics’ rankings
- 07:55 – Top 10 rundown and reaction
- 12:18 – Host frustration over voting process & objectivity
- 15:37 – Tatum as an elite two-way star; underappreciated defense
- 18:44 – “Outrageous” that Tatum is ranked 10th; Edwards critique
- 23:04 – Jaylen Brown’s ranking; comparative analysis to peers
- 28:04 – Brown’s strengths and weaknesses debated
- 33:04 – Derrick White ranking, with comparison to similar players
- 40:08 – End-of-game trust in White
- 44:20 – Pritchard and Simons in bottom 10; meaninglessness of late ranks
- 48:08 – Praise for Pritchard’s journey
Conclusion & Final Thoughts
- Karalis repeatedly underscores a pattern of Celtics players—particularly Tatum and Brown—being undervalued because of a lack of flash, media bias, or perceptions about fit.
- While acknowledging that one ballot wouldn't have shifted the entire ranking significantly, he encourages fans to debate, share their opinions in the comments, and keep watching “how these Celtics prove doubters wrong.”
- The episode closes with a celebration of Pritchard’s journey, a tip of the cap to underdogs, and a general call for fairness and measured analysis in league-wide debates.
For Celtics fans and NBA followers seeking a detailed, passionate breakdown of the locked on Top 100 (with a stark defense of Boston’s stars), this podcast delivers both stats and spirited opinion in classic John Karalis style.