Jayson Tatum will shoulder an added sense of responsibility at the Tokyo Olympics.
USA Basketball confirmed Monday Tatum will wear the No. 10 jersey at the Olympics.
The number is the same one Kobe Bryant wore at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, and Tatum will wear it in honor of the late basketball legend.
“With this being the first Olympics since we lost him, it holds that much more value,” Tatutm told reporters Wednesday, per The Associated Press. “It’s a tremendous honor. And I’ll wear it proudly.”
Tatum counts Bryant among his idols, and their bond has influenced the Celtics star’s rise to superstar status over his first four NBA seasons. Although Bryant’s untimely death hit Tatum, the lessons the master taught the student continue to help the latter develop as a player and person.
