Jayson Tatum debunks the theory that Lakers ever wanted to draft him

Playing for the Los Angeles Lakers is a dream come true for any basketball player, especially for a lifelong fan of the franchise. Jayson Tatum is someone who has openly spoken about his love for the organization.

In fact, the Purple and Gold had a chance to draft Tatum during the 2017 NBA Draft with the No. 2 overall pick. However, the Lakers used it to draft another highly-rated prospect, Lonzo Ball.

Many believe that the Lakers juggled between the choice of drafting Tatum or Ball, but the reality is different. Tatum recently revealed that the Lakers had no plans to draft him at any point heading into the 2017 NBA Draft.

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"I grew up a Kobe fan,” Tatum said. “Like, I always wanted to play for the Lakers. So for them to have the No. 2 pick and it was like they didn’t even- it wasn’t even a thought that I was going to get drafted like that was kind of devastating. So, I never worked out for the Lakers. They never came to watch me work out."

While Tatum's original dream was crushed, fate had different plans for him. The Boston Celtics eventually drafted him with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Fast forward to 2024, Tatum had had a terrific NBA career. He is coming on the heels of leading the Celtics to the 2024 NBA Championship.

Moreover, the Celtics are once again the favorites to lift the illustrious Larry O'Brien trophy in the 2025 postseason. Right now, the Celtics are the second seed in the Eastern Conference with a 7-1 record.

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