Boston Celtics small forward Jayson Tatum worked out with Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant in the summer of 2018.
Bryant was Tatum’s favorite player growing up, so Kobe's tragic death was very hard on the Celtics swingman, who was eating Popeyes with his dad when he found out Bryant passed away.
Via Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer:
Bryant’s death shook Tatum. When the news broke, he was spending time with his dad, Justin Tatum, in New Orleans before the Celtics’ team bus was scheduled to leave for the arena. “We were in our jolly moment, sitting there munching on our Popeyes sandwiches, talking about things back home,” Tatum’s father recalled. Then Jayson checked his phone notifications and his jaw dropped. No words were spoken for the rest of their meal or walk home to the hotel. “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.”
Before the 2018-19 season started, Tatum said Bryant helped him with his post game.
Tatum made his first All-Star team this season. He’s averaging 23.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists for the Celtics while shooting 45.0 percent from the field, 39.6 percent from beyond the arc and 81.6 percent from the free-throw line.
Certainly, Celtics president of basketball operations and general manager Danny Ainge is starting to look really smart for not trading Tatum. After all, he looks like he’s going to turn into a superstar very soon.
Bryant would be proud of the player and man Tatum has become for the Celtics.
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