Exclusive: "It's a thrill for me to sit and watch him" - Jayson Tatum's former high school coach Kelvin Lee jubilant over 3-time All-Star's success, discusses Tatum's youth as a player

Jayson Tatum has been chasing NBA stardom since he was in elementary school. Despite growing up in St. Louis, Missouri where there’s no NBA team to admire, Tatum had his eyes set on playing professional basketball.

During a class assignment in elementary school, Tatum‘s teacher went around asking all of the students what they wanted to be when they grew up. When Tatum said he wanted to be a professional basketball player and play in the NBA, his classmates laughed and his teacher told him to pick a more realistic profession, Tatum cried and felt embarrassed.

He went home crying to his mother about what happened in school. While Tatum‘s mom, Brandy Cole, encouraged him to chase his dream she also wanted him to have a back-up plan.

He didn’t listen.

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There was no back-up plan for Tatum, this is all the now Boston Celtics star wanted, to play in the NBA.

As far fetched as his childhood dream was, Cole began to notice her son’s special talent and ability on the court as early as fourth grade. He would make dazzling moves on the court despite very little coaching at the time.

Future 3-time All-Star takes Jayson Tatum under his wing

Years later, in 2012, when he was in high school at Chaminade College Prep in Creve Coeur, Missouri Tatum got a taste of life in the NBA. Tatum was invited to Washington DC to hang out with Wizards lottery pick and former Chaminade star Bradley Beal. Tatum and Beal went to the same school and had become friends, despite being nearly five years apart. Not only did Beal take Tatum under his wing, but Tatum credits Beal for making it to the NBA.

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It’s fair to say that Tatum has done more than just make it.

The 24-year-old is the the second youngest player to score 1,500 points in the playoffs. Only the late Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant has more, that’s it.

How Tatum's high school coach Kelvin Lee viewed the young star

While Cole noticed his special talent as early as the fourth grade, she began to believe the NBA was a possibility when he was a high schooler.

“I knew it when he was an 8th grader,” Kelvin Lee, Tatum’s former high school coach at Chaminade, told Jeff Skversky.

When Lee first laid eyes on Tatum at his basketball camp as a teenager, he told anyone who would listen that Tatum would be even better than Beal. People couldn’t believe it, Tatum was only in 8th grade.

Tatum’s rise continued as he scored more points in his first game as a high school freshman and scored more points than any other freshman Lee had ever seen before. His work ethic and drive to make it to the NBA and become great was on full display as a teenager. During the summer in St. Louis, he would work out with Beal.

Tatum was getting a first-class education in basketball. He would work out at 6 AM as a high schooler and work in the weight room to get stronger. As he got stronger, Lee noticed a huge change along in Tatum along with his footwork and his spots on the floor where he was most comfortable.

As a senior at Chaminade in 2015–16, Tatum averaged nearly 30 points per game and nearly 10 rebounds, leading the team to their second state title. He was an All-American and Gatorade Player of the year.

“They very mature for young kids in High School,” Lee said of Tatum and Beal who he also coached.

Tatum went on to Duke where then Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski would challenge him to raise his game from good to special. Coach K even called Tatum out and called him, “soft” during a film session, which Tatum remembers to this day.

Jayson Tatum getting instructions from Coach K

Tatum has always wanted to be coached hard because he wants to be great. Tatum continued to grow his game and his body in the weight room. After only one season at Duke, Tatum declared for the NBA. Like his childhood friend Beal, Tatum was also selected third overall five years earlier.

The Philadelphia 76ers took Markelle Fultz first overall, after trading up with Boston in 2017, and the Los Angeles Lakers selected Lonzo Ball. Both passed on Tatum, who the Boston Celtics had their sights set on going into the draft.

Then Celtics general manager Danny Ainge took a calculated risk trading back from first to third with Philadelphia as he believed Tatum would still end up in Boston, which also allowed them to add an extra pick.

It has worked out perfectly for Boston and Tatum.

While the Lakers have won an NBA title in 2020, the Sixers have been unable to get out of the second round and have been repeatedly personally burned by Tatum in the regular season and the post-season.

Tatum led the Celtics past the Sixers in the playoffs in both 2018 and 2020. In fact, Tatum has more NBA playoff wins than the Sixers entire franchise over the last 15 years. Meanwhile, Fultz was later traded to Orlando and his career has been derailed by injuries and shooting issues.

Tatum is a three-time All-Star who averages more points in the playoffs than the regular season. He continues to rise to the occasion in the biggest moments.

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Lee regularly texts with Tatum reminding him of the consistency he tried to instill in him as a teen.

“Very proud, and I let him know,” Lee tells Skversky. “It’s a thrill for me to sit and watch him.”

The dream of a star who hasn't forgotten his roots

Tatum has achieved his dream, and now his sights are set on a bigger goal: winning the NBA Title. The Boston Celtics are chasing an 18th NBA Championship for the franchise, which would be the most in the history of the sport.

Despite NBA stardom and being on the brink of the NBA Finals, Tatum has not forgotten where he he has come from. He still returns to St. Louis, where he gives back to the community and donates money to those in need. He also hosts a basketball camp at Chaminade in the off-season, to pass on what he’s learned to perhaps future NBA players who dream of becoming an NBA player in that elementary classroom, just like he did.