Las Vegas - Jason Tatum was 15 when he made his first USA basketball national team. It was 2013, when he was selected to play in the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Uruguay. And the biggest thrill from that experience was getting his jersey.
This number 10 bore.
Kobe Bryant's number. Tatum's favorite player number.
Bryant wore number 24 and number 8 with the Los Angeles Lakers, but he donned number 10 to USA Basketball when he helped the Americans win gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. Tatum has worn that number several times as part of American teams – and will wear it to the Tokyo Olympics, where the Americans will aim to capture a fourth consecutive gold medal.
"It's going to be the first Olympics since we've lost him, it holds a lot of value," Tatum said. "It's not something I take lightly."
The number 10 jersey is important in all sports, especially soccer, where it always adorns the best players. Pele scored 10 runs for Brazil. Diego Maradona wore it for Argentina, and Lionel Messi does it now. Landon Donovan called it the U.S. Wore for the men's football team when he led the program; It has since been passed on to Christian Pulisic. As for the American women's soccer team, it belongs to Carli Lloyd.
Tatum wears number 0 for the Boston Celtics. Celtics retired No. 10 for Joe White.
For USA Basketball, number 10 belonged to Bryant. When he decided not to play in the 2016 Olympics, the numbers ended with Kyrie Irving—another player who idolizes Bryant, just as Tatum does. And now, as was the case when the U.S. Went to the Basketball World Cup two years ago, the jersey belongs to Tatum.
"For the moment for JT, I'm happy for him, really," said American center Bam Adebayo. "I have known JT since the age of 12. He deserves whatever he is getting and he is going to deserve more because he is such a great player. I am happy for him. He is his idol, And that represents that number. I know he'll have that mamba mentality when he puts up a 10."
Adebayo is another player who makes no secret of his affinity for Bryant, a five-time NBA champion and Basketball Hall of Fame who died in a helicopter crash in January 2020 along with one of his daughters and seven others. Basketball Tournament. He has worn Bryant's shoes to the Games, and says he is devastated that he never met her.
Tatum knew Bryant well. They worked together and Bryant mentored them several times.
"I remember one thing, it could happen after a game, and he was saying that a lot of people don't understand what you do," Tatum said. "He said, 'What I mean is that those who want to be really great and be really special, they really take whatever it takes—the mindset.' He told me it takes sacrifice, because the ultimate question is how much are you willing to sacrifice to become great."
American coach Greg Popovich still laments that Tatum was hurt at that World Cup in China. That team was made for Tatum to be, as Popovich called it, the "go-to man"—like Bryant in the previous U.S. It was for the teams. When Tatum was ruled out of the World Cup due to an ankle injury, the Americans spat and finished seventh.
Popovich said that Tatum is even better now.
"He has become a two-way player," Popovich said. "He's more confident. He's developed more skills. He's above all, more aggressive and knows he can dominate people."
People would say the same things about Bryant.
"I remember the first team when I was hoping, I wish I could get number 10," Tatum said. "Kobe, everyone knows he was my favorite player. I was 15 and I had to wear my favorite player's number. It felt like I had some level of connection with him."
The connection runs on this heat. He doesn't remember whether he had to ask for a jersey in 2013; This summer, she didn't have to ask anyone. USA Basketball only compiled a list of names and jersey numbers, and Tatum got number 10.