"Not the face but heartbeat of the league": NBA broadcaster highlights Jayson Tatum's locker room attitude as shining light to tackle NBA ratings woes

Jayson Tatum is regarded as one of the best locker-room players in the NBA. Tatum has been leading by example, playing no less than 64 games in his entire eight-year career despite other star players on load management.

NBA broadcaster Colin Cowherd used Tatum as an example of great leadership and availability in the NBA. On Sunday's episode of his "The Herd" podcast, he expressed that Tatum could be the shining light for the league as it tackles rating woes amid all the availability issues of some of its star players.

“He's always the first guy on the floor in warmups," Cowherd said "Locked in both ends. He's not coasting, not pacing himself. He plays and plays hard every single night. That's a big deal."

He added that Tatum could be the heartbeat that keeps the NBA's popularity going as he is one of the most reliable stars on the court for the Celtics.

“I don’t think he’s quite the face of the league yet, but he might be the heartbeat,” Cowherd said. “The Celtics' best player is also their hardest worker. He is the play-every-night poster child in the league, where (the) rest is the new 3-pointer. And if the NBA can’t force change, this is what will.”

Tatum has played in 67 of the 69 Boston games this season. The team is second in the Eastern Conference with a 55-19 record.

The six-time All-Star is averaging 27.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game, continuing to be the team’s scoring leader, alongside Jaylen Brown.

Jayson Tatum admits persistence to play despite minor injuries concerns

Jayson Tatum has consistently shown persistence to play this season. In February, he was listed day-to-day with a minor knee injury but continued to suit up.

Tatum admitted that it is hard not to play when he could, making him one of the most present players in the league.

“I guess I’m a little hard-headed. Maybe it’s a plan to find a game for me to rest or whatever and I might agree to it in the moment, then we get down here and it’s like, ’F*** it, I want to play,’" Tatum said, via Yahoo Sports.

Tatum is 14th in the league in minutes played this season with 2,439. He is expected to bring such availability in the playoffs as the Celtics are once again one of the favorites to win the title.