TATUM Jayson

General
NBA DRAFT
He was drafted by the Boston Celtics as the third overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. (basketball-reference.com, 09 Jul 2021; usab.com, 06 Jul 2021)

WEARING KOBE'S SHIRT
He grew up idolising basketball player Kobe Bryant and at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo he has been assigned the number 10 shirt, which Bryant wore previously for the national team. "With this being the first Olympics since we lost him, it holds that much more value. It's not something I take lightly. Kobe, everyone knows that was my favourite player." (espn.com, 07 Jul 2021)

HIS MOTHER'S INFLUENCE
His mother gave birth to him when she was age 19. She continued to attend college, often taking him to classes if she could not find someone to look after him, and graduated with a degree in law from St. Louis University in Missouri, United States of America. "From the time I was a baby until I was about eight years old, when my mom went to school, I went to school with her. I remember sitting in the back of her classes, eating snacks or immersing myself in books or video games." (theplayerstribune.com, 16 Apr 2016)

LONG COVID
He tested positive for COVID-19 in January 2021. He has since revealed that he now needs to keep an inhaler courtside during matches due to the effects of long COVID. (sbnation.com, 14 Apr 2021)