Not a lot of players boast the resume Jayson Tatum has — and he’s only 27 years old. Like him or not, the Boston Celtics superstar is the definition of a winner.
An eight-year pro, Tatum has already accomplished a lot in his young career. He is an NBA champion, a six-time All-Star, a five-time All-NBA Team member, including four First-Team selections, and he’s made the postseason his entire career.
Tatum is expected to miss the entire 2025-26 season as he recovers from a torn Achilles. But there’s no doubt that, when he returns, he’ll easily reclaim his spot as one of the league’s premier forwards.
A known Kobe Bryant superfan, the Celtics’ franchise cornerstone ironically grew up as an L.A. Lakers fan.
In an alternate universe, Tatum might have worn purple and gold himself. Back in 2017, the Lakers held the No. 2 overall pick, and the former Duke University standout was widely regarded as one of the top prospects in the draft. Tatum could be living in the reality where he followed in his childhood idol’s footsteps.
But as fate had written out, Tatum is building his legacy in Boston instead of Los Angeles, and Lakers legend Magic Johnson shed light on why.
Magic Johnson Explains Why Lakers Did Not Draft Jayson Tatum
At the time, Johnson was serving as the Lakers’ president of basketball operations and was responsible for overseeing the team’s draft strategy. In an interview with SiriusXM NBA back in December 2024, Magic explained his thought process about passing up on Tatum.