The Boston Celtics now have one of the best players in the NBA.
But long before he became a star in this league, Jayson Tatum was just like every other young basketball fan with dreams of making it to the league.
He even got an opportunity to meet LeBron James and get his autograph, but that didn’t happen.
Some time ago, the Celtics star told the story of the day his mom took him to a game in Memphis to watch LeBron.
He asked him for an autograph, but James told him he had to go and walked away.
Recently, at a Team USA practice, Tatum told that story and admitted that he actually got in the car and started crying, with James jokingly asking him if that’s why he posterized him in the Eastern Conference Finals so many years ago (via NBA Central).
Jayson Tatum said that when he was 11 years old, LeBron James didn't give him an autograph, which made him cry.
LeBron: “Is that why you dunked on me in the conference finals?”
pic.twitter.com/xUs4RIrggn
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 16, 2024
Tatum grew up as a diehard Kobe Bryant fan, and that moment may have had plenty to do with it.
Now, he’s not only one of LeBron’s colleagues, he’s also a teammate for Team USA.
That’s the beauty of sports, and it also speaks volumes about LeBron James’ longevity and durability in the game.
Tatum is 26 years old, so that was 15 years ago, and James was already a superstar.
He’s about to enter his 22nd season in the NBA, and he’s considered good enough to represent his country in the Olympics.
That’s simply unprecedented, and even his biggest critic should tip his hat to him.
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