In a chat with Andscape, Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum reflected on the life and tragic passing of his biggest basketball idol: Kobe Bryant. Today marks four years since Bryant’s life was taken in a tragic helicopter crash and it’s something that Tatum still feels today. As he explained to the media on Friday, there are still some major regrets on his end for the missed opportunities he had to grow and expand his relationship with the Lakers legend.
“It is bittersweet. I can’t believe that he’s not here anymore. And the thing that I regret is I wish I would’ve called him more. I wish I would’ve texted him more,” Tatum told Andscape. “I just always thought he was so busy. I never wanted to bother him. We knew each other. He told me to text him, call him anytime. But I was almost scared… And obviously, after what happened, I wish I would’ve reached out more. I had so many questions I wanted to know the answers to. I should have called him more and it taught me a lesson.”
It’s no secret that Kobe Bryant is Tatum’s favorite player, and he’s the guy he looked up to growing up as a Lakers fan. As a 5x champion, 18x All-Star, 2x scoring leader, and 15x All-NBA player, there is no questioning Kobe’s legacy as one of the greatest, and his career will leave a lasting impact on the game. When he passed four years ago, it was a shock to so many fans around the world who thought of Bryant as truly invincible.
After completing a historic 20-year career in the NBA, Kobe retired as a legend in 2016 and had big plans to grow his empire. Just two years after his final game, Kobe won arguably his most impressive accolade yet: a 2018 Oscar for his work in the short film “Dear Basketball.” This was happening right as his daughter, Gianna, was breaking out into a potential women’s basketball star. But on January 26th, 2020, their lives would be changed forever after a helicopter crash in Southern California caused the death of nine people. Bryant and his daughter were among the deceased, and the moment the news broke to the public remains one of the saddest and darkest days in sports history.
The Lakers and many other NBA teams honored Kobe throughout that season, and Bryant’s former teammates and colleagues gathered in one place to remember and celebrate his life. But even though Kobe is no longer there, his legacy remains alive and well through the fans and the many people who carry on his unique approach to life.
Celtics star Jayson Tatum still has a long way to go before he can be put in the same realm as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and other all-time greats. At 25 years old, Jayson Tatum still has a lot to prove in the NBA, especially in the playoffs, where he’s historically fallen flat. But if he can lead the Celtics to a championship this season, it will set the stage for some bigger discussions down the road.
Through 42 games so far, Tatum is averaging 27.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game on 46.8% shooting. As a team, Boston is first in the East with a 35-10 record. Only time will tell if this is the year that the Cs have a breakthrough, but this is their best chance yet, and Jayson Tatum needs to seize this opportunity and prove what kind of player he is.
