Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum wanted to play for the Los Angeles Lakers like Kobe Bryant. But things have worked out nicely in Beantown.

After signing a lucrative five-year, $195 million extension this offseason with the Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum made it clear that he wants to remain a Celtic for the foreseeable future.

But it wasn’t always like that, as the 22-year-old actually grew up wanting to play for their bitter rival, the Los Angeles Lakers just like Kobe Bryant, who’s his “idol.”

In an interview with former player Quentin Richardson, Tatum revealed that as a Lakers fan, he didn’t like the Celtics at all and dreamed of playing for Kobe’s team:
“My favorite player and my idol was Kobe and everybody knows that. So, I didn’t like the Celtics at all,” Tatum told former NBA star Quentin Richardson in an interview that will air Wednesday night on TNT (h/t Radio.com). “I only grew up, I was like, I’m going to play for the Lakers. Honestly, I never knew what Boston was at. Like I knew only East Coast. But, I’d never been there, I never thought about going there.”

After an impressive stint with the Duke Blue Devils in college, the Lakers had a chance to draft Tatum, but instead selected UCLA’s Lonzo Ball with the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, with the Celtics then drafting Tatum third overall.

Since then, the St. Louis, Missouri native has emerged as one of the league’s best young players, helping Boston reach the Eastern Conference Finals in two of his first three years in the league. Last season, Tatum was named an All Star and a member of the All-NBA Third Team for the first time after averaging 23.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.4 steals while shooting 45.0% from the field and 40.3% from beyond the arc.

Even if he didn’t end up playing for his favorite team growing up, he believes it worked out for the best:
“When I got drafted, it was kind of crazy. Like, I used to hate the Celtics, and now, it worked out,” Tatum said. “Everything happens for a reason and I’m surely thankful to be here with this opportunity.”
With Tatum locked in for the next five years, the Celtics now look toward his fourth season, which begins on Wednesday with a meeting against the Milwaukee Bucks.