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As part of the NBA's 75th-anniversary commemoration this season, Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics wore an LA Lakers jersey to recreate Kobe Bryant's iconic game-winner against the Miami Heat.
NBA on TNT first published the video on their Twitter account, but it was later deleted. However, a copy of the video was soon available on the internet.
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In the video, Jayson Tatum reminisced about the time Kobe Bryant hit a game-winning, buzzer-beating shot against the Miami Heat on December 9, 2009. Tatum was only in sixth grade at the time. Kobe Bryant hit a three-point shot off the glass over Dwyane Wade to give the LA Lakers a 108-107 win.
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Jayson Tatum grew up as an LA Lakers fan, hated the Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics drafted Jayson Tatum with the third overall selection in 2017. Entering his fifth season in Boston, Tatum is on his way to becoming a superstar in the NBA and a Celtics legend. However, the 23-year-old grew up as an LA Lakers fan, and hated the Celtics.
In an interview with former NBA player Quentin Richardson, which was aired on TNT, Jayson Tatum revealed that his idol growing up was Kobe Bryant. He also said that he never liked the Celtics, and dreamed of playing for the LA Lakers. Tatum said:
“My favorite player and my idol was Kobe, and everybody knows that. So, I didn’t like the Celtics at all. I only grew up, I was like, I’m going to play for the Lakers. Honestly, I never knew what Boston was at. Like I knew only East Coast. But I’d never been there; I never thought about going there.”
Thankfully for the Celtics, Jayson Tatum is enjoying his time in Boston. He signed a max deal last season worth around $195 million for five years. Tatum is coming off his best season yet, as he averaged 26.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
Jayson Tatum is already a two-time All-Star with the Boston Celtics, and he recently won an Olympic gold medal with Team USA. For LA Lakers fans, Tatum could enter free agency after the 2024-25 NBA season. He will be 27 years old at that time and possibly entering his prime.
Also Read: How many rings did Kobe Bryant Win?
Boston Celtics Nation! You can check out the latest Boston Celtics Schedule and dive into the Celtics Depth Chart for NBA Season 2024-25.
