Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics had an incredible Game 7 performance in the Eastern Conference Finals to book their place in the NBA Finals. The Celtics are going to play in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010 when they lost to Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.
But Kobe’s presence was felt on the court last night, as Jayson Tatum was seen sporting a purple and gold armband with ‘24’ on it, Kobe Bryant’s jersey number with the Lakers.
Jayson Tatum spoke during the postgame press conference, where he was asked about why he wore the armband. Tatum noted that it is no secret that Kobe Bryant was his idol growing up and his favorite player.
He added that ahead of Game 7, he watched some of Kobe’s best moments of his career. Tatum concluded by saying that he wanted to pay tribute to Kobe by wearing the armband.
"You know, obviously that was my idol, that was my inspiration as my favorite player… I wanted to wear that armband to honor him and kinda share that moment."
Jayson Tatum on wearing the "Number 24" armband to honor Kobe Bryant 👏pic.twitter.com/isN8K01KAQ
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 30, 2022
“You know, obviously that was my idol, that was my inspiration as my favorite player. The shoes I’ve been wearing the last couple of years, dedicated to him. Today, before I took my nap, I was watching some film and some moments from his career. Biggest game of my career thus far. I wanted to wear that armband to honor him and kinda share that moment.”
The Celtics will not have much time to celebrate, as they need to recalibrate and prepare for the NBA Finals.
The Celtics will take on the Golden State Warriors, and will be considered the underdogs against them. But the Celtics have shown during this playoff run that they are not to be underestimated.
