Tatum has unofficially taken The Leap, but there were some obstacles in his quick ascent to fame as a young Celtic. Families, coaches, and Bradley Beal, who are close to Boston’s new star player, explain how he overcame hardship at every turn and how his desire to continue Kobe Bryant’s legacy extends far beyond the purple armband.
JasonJason Tatum’s hands are perspiring. In July 2018, he is meeting with the man who used to be on posters in his boyhood bedroom in St. Louis, Missouri, in Newport Beach, California. Tatum is currently distant from his house, and the events seem unreal. “Oh my god, sh*t. Tatum says to himself, “I’m really sitting down, really talking with my idol.” Kobe Bryant, seated across from Tatum, extended an invitation for them to meet at his office and work out at the gym the following day. Tatum seems nervous, and the Black Mamba feels that it’s all too much. “Jason, what’s up? “Don’t worry,” Bryant reassures him. “Just have a conversation.”
Thus, they acted. for several hours. In addition to teaching Tatum mental game preparation techniques, Bryant shared with him how he handled the pressures of playing in the NBA as a youngster and how he maximized his 20-year, Hall of Fame career with the Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe advised, “Don’t wait for the ideal situation—create the situation.” “Ask not to have it handed to you. Nobody should be able to stop you from being amazing. Regardless of your circumstances or age, be that guy.
Tatum is starting to look like that guy a year and a half later. In his third season with the Boston Celtics, Tatum, who turns 22 on Tuesday, was nominated to his first All-Star squad and is averaging 24 points, seven rebounds, and three assists while playing like an All-Defensive squad candidate. Tatum became only the sixth player in Celtics history to score more than 30 points in a month as he averaged 31 points with a 64 true shooting percentage over the course of 12 games in February. Against the Lakers, Tatum had one of his best performances during that time, tying a career high with 41 points; Tatum has since worn a purple armband during games in honor of Kobe, who was one of nine persons.
Tatum was shaken by Bryant’s death. He was in New Orleans visiting his father, Justin Tatum, just before the Celtics team bus was about to depart for the arena when the news broke. “We were in our jolly moment, sitting there munching on our Popeyes sandwiches, talking about things back home,” Tatum’s father remembered. Jayson’s mouth fell open as he saw what was on his phone. They walked home to the hotel and ate the remainder of their lunch without saying anything. I began to feel ill to my stomach. It was unbelievable to me,” Tatum remarked. “At the moment, it didn’t seem genuine. It doesn’t seem real at all.
