"My dawg right here": Jayson Tatum shouts out Paolo Banchero after his comments on Duke brother

Boston Celtics superstar forward Jayson Tatum has long been supportive of Orlando Magic sophomore forward Paolo Banchero. So, following the Magic’s 114-97 loss to the Celtics on Sunday, Banchero made sure to pay respect to the four-time All-Star. That, in turn, led Tatum to give his fellow Duke alumni another shoutout.

In his postgame interview, Banchero touched on his close relationship with Tatum, highlighting how the Celtics superstar recently gifted him a pair of shoes. The 2023 Rookie of the Year added that Tatum has been his mentor since his lone college season at Duke (2021-22).

“I asked him for some shoes, so, he sent me some shoes earlier in the year. But he’s been a huge help for me since I first got to Duke. That was when I first started talking to him,” Banchero said.

“He’s a great player. He’s done everything that I wanna do. So, anytime you can build a relationship with a guy like that and pick his brain, I’m a sponge, so I try to learn as much as I can.”

Tatum later reacted to a clip of Banchero’s interview on X, formerly known as Twitter, expressing his appreciation for his kind words.

“My dawg right here,” Tatum said.

Tatum and Banchero are only 25 and 21, respectively, and both play in the same conference. So, as Banchero continues to improve, the two Duke alumni should be in store for some high-level battles moving forward.

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Paolo Banchero outplays Jayson Tatum despite Magic’s loss

Paolo Banchero outplayed Jayson Tatum on Sunday, finishing with a game-high 36 points, 10 rebounds and four 3-pointers on 46.7% shooting. Meanwhile, Tatum recorded 23 points, eight rebounds, three assists and four 3-pointers on 38.1% shooting.

However, Tatum got the last laugh, as his Celtics came away with a 17-point victory. Boston was led by a team-high 31 points, five rebounds, six assists and five 3-pointers on 60% shooting from star wing Jaylen Brown.

The Celtics’ win marked their fifth straight, while the Magic’s loss marked their second in a row.

Orlando (16-9) next hosts the Miami Heat (15-11) on Wednesday night, while Boston (20-5) next hosts the Golden State Warriors (12-14) on Tuesday.