When you don the Celtics' Kelly green, you are usually conditioned to despise the Lakers' purple and gold. As one of the greatest rivalries in sports history, there is no love lost between the two franchises.
That has never been the case for superstar forward Jayson Tatum, however.
Tatum has not been shy about his Lakers fandom, idolizing Los Angeles legend Kobe Bryant. With the Celtics set to take on the Lakers in Los Angeles on Christmas Day for the first time in Tatum's career, don't be surprised to see him honor his late great hero.
It wouldn't be the first time, and it certainly won't be the last.
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Why is Jayson Tatum a Kobe Bryant fan?
From the moment he stepped foot on an NBA court, Tatum has proudly stated that Bryant is his idol and favorite player. During his rookie season, when the Celtics faced off against LeBron James and the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, Tatum announced it to the world — an atypical admission for a future Boston star trying to win over his new fan base.
"My favorite team were the Lakers. Kobe Bryant was the reason I started playing basketball. He always was and will be my favorite player of all time," he said passionately.
"I love the way he could get his shot off. His footwork in the mid-post. His determination to be the best player. He had an incredible work ethic, an incredible drive and just his killer mentality that he had."
In an interview with Slam Magazine in 2022, Tatum's mother, Brandy Cole, said that when she used to ask Tatum what he wanted to be when he grew up, his answer was, 'Kobe.'
Tatum has said on multiple occasions that his first time working out with Bryant was one of the best moments of his life.
"Besides my son being born, that's like the best day of my life just to be in that gym with him and work out with him and learn some tips," Tatum told JJ Redick on "The Old Man & The Three" podcast.
"I'll never forget that day, how I felt going into the workout, how I felt afterwards. I just felt like that was the coolest thing ever for me. I'll never forget that."
Even as Tatum has blossomed into an NBA superstar himself, he has never stopped paying tribute to his idol and favorite player.
WATCH: Stream Celtics vs. Lakers on Christmas Day with Sling TV
Jayson Tatum's tributes to Kobe Bryant
There have been countless times that Tatum has shown love to Bryant throughout his NBA career — and it goes beyond their similar playstyles.
When Bryant passed away in 2020, Tatum crafted a heartfelt post on Instagram with a series of pictures of him and Kobe together.
"Heart broken. My Hero. My Idol. The reason I started to play this game, the reason I fell in love with this game. Growing up wanting to be just like you, to you becoming a mentor, beyond thankful for everything you’ve done for me," Tatum wrote.
Tatum has a "24" tattoo of two black mamba snakes on his leg in honor of Kobe's number and nickname. He rocks one armband on his off-arm, just like Kobe did.
Ahead of Game 7 of the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals, Tatum texted his late mentor "I got you today" before donning a purple "24" armband in his honor as he helped the Celtics reach the NBA Finals for the first time in his career.
Jayson Tatum drew inspiration and paid tribute to Kobe Bryant with a 24 armband during Game 7 💜💛 pic.twitter.com/AS1IjjThvq
— NBA (@NBA) May 30, 2022
In a shootaround ahead of an NBA Finals game that same year, Tatum mimicked the exact outfit from Bryant's famous Celtics pre-draft workout picture.
Jayson Tatum is dressed for practice exactly like Kobe was for his Celtics workout. pic.twitter.com/AEx3NFuGul
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) June 4, 2022
Once Tatum's ascension to stardom was clear and he began to cement his legacy as a Celtics great, he admitted that he wanted the Lakers to draft him in 2017 because of Kobe.
"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," he told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Elizabeth Merrill during the 2022 NBA Finals.
Tatum set an All-Star Game record with 55 points in 2023 to take home the "Kobe Bryant All-Star Game MVP award," and he was quick to mention that became a goal of his once the trophy was renamed after his idol in 2020.
"My first All-Star Game was in Chicago, in 2020, when they renamed the MVP after (Bryant)," Tatum told the media. "I remember telling myself that day that I got to get one of those before I get done."
As Tatum's legend continues to grow, just know everything he's accomplished is driven by a little bit of "Mamba Mentality."