Jayson Tatum has admitted that he once dreamed of playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. Growing up as a devoted fan of Kobe Bryant, Tatum imagined himself wearing the Lakers’ purple and gold.

Speaking on the Club 520 Podcast with Jeff Teague, Tatum reflected on his pre-draft hopes that the Lakers, holding the No. 2 pick that year, might select him.

“I grew up a Kobe fan. I always wanted to play for the Lakers,” Tatum said.

“For them to have the No. 2 pick, it wasn’t even thought that I was going to get drafted. That was kinda devastating. So, I never worked out for the Lakers. They never came to watch me work out.

“I remember Coach K was like, ‘Boston wants you for a second workout; you should go.’ I’m like, ‘They just came off the Eastern Conference Finals.'”

Embraced role in Boston

However, fate took him to the Boston Celtics, where he has since established strong ties with both the team and its fans, developing a loyalty to Boston that he didn’t initially anticipate.

Over time, Tatum has come to embrace his role in Boston fully. His journey has seen him rise as a key figure in the Celtics‘ recent success, highlighted by their 18th championship win last season, which pushed Boston ahead of the Lakers in total NBA titles.

Although his early dreams centered around Los Angeles, Tatum has flourished in Boston, helping to write new chapters in the storied rivalry and cementing his place in Celtics history.

“I was drafted in 2017. My son was born [in Boston],” he added.

“I bought my first car here. For me, I admire and love the relationships I’ve built within the organization. All the coaches I’ve had, the front office, security guards, trainers, chefs, the fans, the people who work at the Garden, the ball boys who do our laundry.”