After his rookie year, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum worked out with Kobe Bryant. It was an event that Bryant will remember for a long time.

On the most recent episode of All the Smoke, he talked about the chance:

Tatum said, “I felt like a kid in a candy store.” “I kept telling myself things like, ‘I’m working out with Kobe.'” At the time, I couldn’t believe it.

The 22-year-old talked about what the sessions taught him.

“A lot of attention to detail,” Tatum said about the workouts. “There wasn’t much I couldn’t do.” He did a bunch of moves that he had seen me do. There were many small things to think about. That’s what I really learned: the little things he would think about that I never heard anyone else think about when they play the game.

He noticed that his punch step and ability to make space had gotten better.

As the third pick in the 2017 draft, Tatum had a good first year, averaging 13.9 points per game. But he really improved each of the next two years. In 2019-20, he was named to his first All-Star team. Before the season was over, he was averaging 23.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.

After Bryant died in a helicopter crash in January, he wrote a moving Instagram post with several pictures of himself with the Hall of Famer.

“Broken heart. This is my hero. Tatum wrote in the text, “My Idol.” “The reason I started playing this game and why I love it so much.” From wanting to be like you as a child to having you as a guide, I’m so grateful for everything you’ve done for me.