Kobe Bryant did Jayson Tatum the enviable favour of offering him advice on where to take his game. The Lakers' legend sat down with ESPN's Detail to film a segment analyzing Jayson Tatum's play in 2018 NBA Playoffs. Kobe gave the rookie high marks for his ability to "create his own shot," and "score in the post." He never the less docked him in other categories. Kobe said Tatum could afford to improve his play off-the-ball, advising the rookie to take advantage of screens and picks. If and when opportunity presents itself "in-game," Tatum should be mindful of his positional play after he finishes his touch on the ball; Kobe's words, my thoughts exactly.
Of course, Jayson Tatum was more than happy to receive constructive criticism from a player he grew up idolizing. It's not as if Kobe's words weren't coming from a place of security. The players, ages apart, do share a likeness on the court. ESPN caught up with Tatum and asked him for his thoughts on the critique, and yes the rookie was over the moon with content: "That was really cool for me. Growing up, Bryant was my favorite player. That was really a special moment for me," said Tatum. "I've probably watched (the video) like 25 times already."
Game 3 is Tonight at 8:30 ET.