“The Lakers were my favorite team, and Kobe was my favorite player" - Boston Celtics superstar reflects on LA Lakers passing on him in the NBA draft

Despite being a fan favorite and playing in the NBA Finals, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum still remembers how the LA Lakers passed on him in the 2017 draft.

Tatum grew up as a Lakers fan in St. Louis, Missouri, idolizing the late Kobe Bryant. Like any Mamba fan, he wanted to play for the Purple and Gold in Hollywood. The Lakers are arguably the NBA's most storied franchise, tied for the most titles (17) with the Celtics and making a record 32 NBA Finals appearances.

Tatum wished he would be selected by the Lakers in 2017 but was passed by them instead. As reported by ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Elizabeth Merrill, Tatum recalled how close he was to having his dream come true:

"The Lakers were my favorite team, and Kobe was my favorite player. 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."

Expand Tweet

The Lakers didn't want anything to do with Tatum at the time. He was selected third by the Celtics, one pick after the Lakers.

The man in charge in Los Angeles at the time was Magic Johnson, who had his eyes set on UCLA's Lonzo Ball. The organization didn't even invite Tatum for a workout. Ball and Johnson are both not part of the Lakers anymore while Tatum is leading the Celtics in the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors dynasty.

In another interview with Quentin Richardson, Tatum spoke about the night was picked by the Celtics, saying:

"My favorite player and my idol was Kobe, and everybody know that. So, I didn’t like the Celtics at all growing up. I never liked (them). (Growing) up, I was like, I’m going to play for the Lakers. Honestly, I never knew what Boston was at. Like, I knew it was on the East Coast. But I’d never been there, I never thought about going there.

"And when I got drafted, I'm like, 'This is kinda crazy.' Like, I used to hate the Celtics."

Expand Tweet

Most Lakers fans hate the Celtics as the two are historic rivals, dating to the 1950s. There were battles between Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell in the 1960s and Magic Johnson and Larry Bird in the 1980s.

While the most recent rendition was Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce in the late 2000s, many expected Tatum and Ball to have the same rivalry. However, Lonzo Ball is now playing for the Chicago Bulls and Tatum is on course to retire a Boston superstar.

Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce also wanted to play for the LA Lakers

Paul Pierce attends the 2022 NBA All-Star Game

Jayson Tatum is not the only one who grew up as an LA Lakers fan but ended up being drafted by their rivals. Paul Pierce, aka "The Truth," was a Los Angeles resident who grew up as a Magic Johnson fan. Pierce was born in Oakland, California, but his family soon shifted to Inglewood, where he attended high school.

On the "All the Smoke" podcast, Pierce spoke about the Celtics picking him in 1998:

"I have a Lakers sweater I used to wear everyday to school. ... It was a hoodie. Who could (I) not be a Laker fan? I grew up right down the street from the Forum, right there in Inglewood, watching Magic. I hated the Celtics. You from LA, let alone Inglewood, where the Forum is, of course, you’re a Laker fan. How could you not be?