It's a well-known fact that Jayson Tatum is one of the biggest Kobe Bryant fans out there today. On Saturday night, the Boston Celtics superstar used his fandom to take a jab at none other than the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of their much-anticipated rivalry showdown at the TD Garden.

Tatum probably thought it was a good idea to confuse some unwitting fans out there by wearing a Kobe Bryant shirt as he made his way to the arena ahead of the game. It wasn't just any other Kobe shirt, though, as it showcased the Black Mamba in unfamiliar colors:

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In case you think this Kobe image is Photoshopped, think again. As a matter of fact, Bryant had a pre-draft workout with the Celtics back in 1996. It may be hard to imagine the Lakers legend dawning the Celtics green, and for all intents and purposes, this is as close as we're going to get.

For his part, Jayson Tatum is clearly sending a message here. The Celtics vs. the Lakers is never just any other regular-season game. Tatum knows what's at stake in this one and he is well aware of the fact that LeBron James and Co. will do everything they can to hand Boston a loss on their own home floor.

In response, it looks like Tatum is going to be channeling his inner Kobe Bryant against the Lakers. It's Mamba Mentality all the way for the Celtic star, and he's definitely looking forward to facing a familiar foe on Saturday night.