"There's always that first person who inspired you to chase that goal" - Jayson Tatum on the influence Kobe Bryant had on him

Kobe Bryant may no longer be with us, but his profound influence on the NBA's current superstars runs deep. Jayson Tatum , one of the Boston Celtics pillars that helped the legendary franchise win its 17th NBA title, recently opened up about his connection with Kobe and how it shaped his career.

In an interview with Carmelo Anthony and Kid Mero on "7 PM in Brooklyn," Tatum shared how he looked up to the "Black Mamba" as a young hooper growing up in St. Louis, Missouri. The 6'8" forward saw Kobe's journey as an 18-year-old entering the league and knew he wanted to follow in those footsteps.

A role model

As a young man who dreamed of one day making it to the NBA, Kobe was the perfect role model for Tatum. His dominance on the court and unmatched work ethic off of it inspired Jayson to strive for greatness constantly.

"I think with anything, whatever your profession is, there's always that first person who inspired you to chase that goal, to do what you set out to do. For me, it was Kobe," the five-time All-Star shared .

From mirroring Bean's techniques to adopting his unwavering dedication to daily honing his craft, Tatum attributes many of his achievements to the Black Mamba.

"Growing up in St. Louis, we didn't have an NBA team, and I just gravitated towards him and the Lakers. He was my inspiration, my why, and my role model, even from thousands of miles away," JT continued.

Such is the incredible influence Bryant had on basketball players around the world. They saw his path from Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia to the NBA, witnessed his struggles and triumphs, and were motivated by his resiliency and resolve every step of the way.

"I never met him, but I wanted to be like him. He inspired me to wake up at 5:30 in the morning to work out before school, to work out after practice, to not miss any days, and to not skip any steps," the four-time All-NBA selection relayed.

Related: Jaylen Brown seems to be unhappy about not replacing Kawhi Leonard on Team USA: "Nike, this what we doing?"

Only regret

JT never got to play against Kobe in the NBA, as his rookie season came after Bean's final playing year. However, he still managed to forge a meaningful relationship with his idol, getting to know him better and even training with him a few times. However, Jayson shared one regret he has is he never took KB24 on his offer to collaborate more before he passed away in a tragic helicopter crash in January 2020.

"When I got to the league and built that relationship with him, it meant the world to me. The only thing I really regret is that, and I know it was a tragic incident, but I was such a fan. He reached out to me, we worked out a couple of times, and he said, 'Yo, if you ever need something, hit me up,'" JT recalled.

"But I was like, 'Man, I can't just call him. He might be busy, or I don't want to bother him.' After that tragic incident, I thought, 'Damn, I wish I would have.' I wish I would have texted him, called him, and followed up," Tatum stressed.

Regret is the damnedest thing. It can eat away at people, leaving them with a constant feeling of what could have been and what they wish they could have done differently. For JT, the regret of not reaching out to Kobe before he passed away reminds him never to hesitate when it comes to connecting with others. Nowadays, he makes sure to hit up any OGs like Kevin Durant and LeBron James to get an insight or even shoot the breeze.

Related: Jayson Tatum on wearing Kobe Bryant's Team USA jersey number: "An honor to be able to represent this uniform and wear No. 10"