Celtics' Jayson Tatum looks back on when the Los Angeles Lakers passed on him in the NBA draft

Boston Celtics All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum grew up a fan of Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. He modeled his game on his future friend and mentor’s as he made his way to the NBA from the NCAA ranks at Duke.

But when it came time for the team he grew up dreaming about joining to make their pick on Tatum’s draft night arrived, the Lakers instead went with now-Chicago Bull Lonzo Ball. As did the Philadelphia 76ers, who traded their No. 3 pick and another first for the Celtics top pick.

“The Lakers were my favorite team, and Kobe was my favorite player,” said the St. Louis native in a recent interview with ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Elizabeth Merrill. “So it was crazy that the Lakers had the second pick, and I was so close to a dream come true. But it was just like they didn’t want anything to do with me at the time.”

“After my workout (with Boston), I remember one of the (Celtics’) scouts came up to me and said, ‘That was a great workout. I’m excited for you. But we’ve got the No. 1 pick, so we’re not going to pick you,'” Tatum joked.

“He still works for the Celtics now, so I (expletive) with him all the time.”

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