Jayson Tatum reveals that growing up he ‘always wanted to play for the Lakers’

Jayson Tatum jut released a truth bomb that clears the waters around so many myths in the NBA, especially debunking the theory that the Lakers ever wanted to draft him back in 2017. According to the 26-year-old, he had a different dream prepared for him, and it didn’t involved wearing the Celtics uniform. 

Actually, quite the opposite, as the forward’s desire had always been to wear the jersey from Boston’s classic rival, painted purple and gold. In a recent appearance on the Club 520 Podcast, JT finally revealed what had been his original dream all along.

“For me, I grew up a Kobe fan, I always wanted to play for the Lakers,” Tatum said in the episode released on Monday. “For them to have the No. 2 pick and it wasn’t even a thought that I was gonna get drafted, that was kind of devastating. I never worked out for the Lakers. They never came to watch me workout.”

Celtics' Jayson Tatum drops shocking Lakers truth bomb from 2017 NBA Drafthttps://t.co/BW7xmQSfqE

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Fortunately for the Celtics, the future NBA champion had not been chosen in the NBA Draft and they took the Duke product that night as the No. 3 pick. “I get drafted, Gordan Hayward signs with the Celtics. I call my agent like, ‘Yo, I gotta get traded,’” he shared. “I’m in Summer League before I ever play a game.”

“(My agent’s) like, ‘Relax. Wait it out. You gotta chill.’ I’m like, ‘I’m trying to play.’ I didn’t get drafted to come off the bench and not start,” Tatum recalled. Both Boston stars then found themselves sharing the starting lineup, but Hayward then broke his leg five minutes in and missed out on that entire campaign.

Fast-forward 7 years later, if Jayson continues the path he’s on, he might just surpass Larry’s historic marks. Not only is he still young, the six-foot-eight forward has already earned a Rookie First-Team nod, an All-Star Game MVP, plus five All-Star selections.

Also, not too long ago he contributed to Team USA conquering the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, an award he had already earned four years earlier in Tokyo. Now that he won the league this past June, he’s started to understand that the sky is the limit for him.

That’s not it, according to an NBA Hall of Famer, he’s got an extra motivation to succeed. “I think Jaylen getting left off the Olympic team and Jayson not playing… They’re the defending champs that’s gonna take their confidence to another level. The NBA found a way to piss both of them off this summer,” Charles Barkley said in preseason.

The Boston star admitted before the start of the season that he wishes to surpass Larry Bird’s legacy: ‘That’s the guy I’m chasing’

Every athlete feeds off of different factors to keep themselves motivated as they pursue excellence, and some simply aim the highest possible so they can find their best versions while improving their standards. That’s pretty much Jayson Tatum’s mindset right now, as he admitted before the start of the campaign that he wishes to become the best Celtics player that ever lived.

The superstar was interviewed in October as the Boston club took on the press as they were getting ready for the season opener, and he was asked what exactly drives him to put in the work every day. The NBA champion revealed that he wishes to compete with Lady Bird’s legacy in Massachusetts.

The 26-year-old admitted that he thinks the Boston legend is the best athlete to ever wear the club’s badge. “Larry Bird is the best Celtic to ever wear this uniform, and that’s the guy that I’m chasing,” he assured. “My motivation is to chase the best players to ever play, the best players to ever wear a Celtic uniform.”

“I just always feel like overall, I can still get better. You haven’t seen the best version of Jayson Tatum,” the former Duke product emphasized. “And you shouldn’t, right? I’m only 26, I should continue to keep getting better.”