Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum’s love for Kobe Bryant is well known, but he doesn’t believe the Los Angeles Lakers icon is the greatest ever. When asked by ESPN to name his NBA GOAT, Tatum went with Michael Jordan, but also made it clear that Bryant remains his favorite.
“I think Michael Jordan is the best player of all time,” Tatum said. “But my favorite player is Kobe Bryant.”
Tatum was asked to explain why Bryant is his favorite and stated that there are a lot of reasons he can point to.
“The biggest inspiration for me in my basketball career when I was a kid,” Tatum stated. “There’s a reason why I fell in love with the game. Somebody that inspired me to chase my dreams and be the best that I could be from thousands of miles away.”
The late great Bryant was Tatum’s idol growing up, and he hasn’t shied away from openly displaying his admiration for him.
Tatum famously wore a Bryant armband during Game 7 of the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat. He led the Celtics to a 100-96 win over the Heat that night and made quite a revelation after the game.
Tatum revealed he had sent a “I got you today” text to Bryant’s former number before the do-or-die contest against the Heat. He put up 26 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, one steal, and two blocks in the game, and you’d imagine his idol would have been impressed by the display if he were alive.
With the win, Tatum advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in his career, but he and the Celtics lost to the Golden State Warriors in six games. It didn’t take them too long to get back to that stage, though, as they faced off against the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals.
Tatum wouldn’t be denied the second time around, as the Celtics beat the Mavericks in five games. He wasn’t satisfied with just that title, though, as he pointed out that Bryant didn’t stop at one.
Bryant won five titles, two Finals MVPs, one MVP, and two scoring titles in his career. He made 18 All-Star, 15 All-NBA, and 12 All-Defensive teams along the way. It’s an impressive resume, but ultimately not quite as impressive as that of the man Tatum picked as the greatest ever.
Jordan won six titles, six Finals MVPs, five MVPs, one DPOY, and 10 scoring titles in his career. He also made 14 All-Star, 11 All-NBA, and nine All-Defensive teams and is still generally regarded as the greatest of all time.
Tatum has ties with the Chicago Bulls icon, too, as he signed with the Jordan Brand back in 2019. He has paid homage to Jordan in the past as well.
While Tatum was never going to have a career as impressive as Jordan and Bryant’s, his hasn’t been all that shabby. To go with that title, he also won Eastern Conference Finals MVP in 2022. He has also made six All-Star and five All-NBA teams.
Tatum is unlikely to add to his resume in this upcoming 2025-26 season, as he looks set to miss the entire campaign after tearing his Achilles in the playoffs earlier this year.
