Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant was Boston Celtics small forward Jayson Tatum’s favorite player growing up.

So when Bryant tragically passed away in January, the Celtics star was devastated and needed a few weeks to mourn.

With the 2019-20 season set to resume on Thursday down in Orlando, Florida, Tatum is reminiscing about his “hero.”

Bryant’s death shook Tatum, who was actually spending time with his dad in New Orleans before the Celtics’ team bus was scheduled to leave when he heard that the Black Mamba had passed away in a helicopter crash.

“We were in our jolly moment, sitting there munching on our Popeyes sandwiches, talking about things back home,” Tatum’s father recalled, via Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.

“I kind of got sick to my stomach. I couldn’t believe it,” Tatum said. “It didn’t seem real at the time. It still doesn’t seem real.”

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Before the 2018-19 season started, Tatum said Bryant helped him with his postgame moves. Bryant would certainly be proud of the player and man Tatum has become for the rival Celtics.

Tatum, who made his first All-Star team this season, is one of the best young scorers in the NBA. He’s averaging 23.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists for the Celtics while shooting 44.8 percent from the field, 39.8 percent from beyond the arc and 80.6 percent from the free-throw line.

The Celtics racked up 43 wins before the 2019-20 season was suspended in March. The team has already clinched a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, so they will use the eight seeding games to prepare for the postseason.