Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum joined the Point Forward podcast with Andre Igoudala and Evan Turner and discussed the one piece of advice he’s received that has stuck with him in his NBA career.
It should come as no surprise that it was from his idol, Kobe Bryant, who asked a question at a basketball camp that Tatum attended when he was young.
“Growing up, I remember Kobe spoke at a camp one time, and he asked the kids, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’” Tatum explained. “And he asked the kids, ‘What’s your second option?’”
“He kind of looked at them funny and was like, ‘I never had a plan B. People always told me to disperse your eggs in different baskets,’” Tatum continued. “He was like, ‘Why would I not give all my time, energy and effort to the thing I’m trying to accomplish?’ And that just resonated so much.”
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Tatum’s relationship with Bryant prior to his passing was well-chronicled. He had worked out with Bryant in the offseason and was known to pick his brain on the game and how to get better as his career progressed.
“That was my favorite player. That’s what I wanted to be like. So in my mind, it was never a plan B. Even to this day, people say like, ‘What would you do?’ And it’s like nothing. Like I was 50 Cent, ‘Get rich or die trying.’” Like the league or die trying.”
It’s safe to say that Tatum has made the most of his opportunities so far. He has emerged as one of the best players in the NBA as he enters the prime of his career with the Celtics.
Thus far in 2023, Tatum is averaging 27.6 points per game on 49.9% shooting from the floor. He is also on pace for a career-best 8.9 rebounds per game to go along with 4.2 assists.
