The 2017 NBA Draft will be remembered for many different reasons, for better or, for worse.
For Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, he remembers the process as the time the Los Angeles Lakers overlooked during the draft process.
The 2017 NBA Draft has established six All-Star selections, including Tatum, guard Donovan Mitchell and center Bam Adebayo. These players highlight an otherwise underwhelming draft. The first overall pick was former Washington guard Markelle Fultz going to the Philadelphia 76ers. This would ultimately turn into a disaster.
Another key storyline in the draft process was the Lakers’ determination to pick UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball with the second overall pick. They were so determined to make Ball a Laker, they didn’t much of a thought to other prospects like Tatum.
Tatum talked about why he was never an option to the Lakers during the 2017 NBA Draft process on the Club 520 Podcast. “I never worked out for the Lakers, they never came to watch me workout,” Tatum said in the interview.
Tatum was open to all teams at the top of the draft, including the Phoenix Suns because of their young roster. Despite the mutual interest, Tatum kept his options open.
“The Celtics had the No. 1 pick at the time, they came to watch me in Phoenix, so Phoenix was No. 4.
“I work out for all of them,” Tatum said in the interview. Originally, the Celtics had the first overall pick in the draft. A week before the draft, the Celtics and the 76ers swapped picks.
One team that didn’t give Tatum a thought was the Lakers. The Lakers were a team that desperately needed elite young talent more than a year after Kobe Bryant retired from the league.
“For me, I grew up a Kobe fan. Like I always wanted to play for the Lakers. For them to have the No. 2 pick, it wasn’t even a thought I was going to get drafted that was kind of devastating.”
The Lakers picked Ball thanks to a local push as a former Bruin and from the Big Baller Brand supporting the team. Ball would be a good player on both ends of the court for the Lakers, but he would never live up to the hype. He would eventually be traded to the New Orleans Pelicans before his third season in the league as part of a large package for forward/center Anthony Davis.
As for Tatum, he would become an instant young star on a loaded Celtics roster. After two solid seasons, Tatum would be named an All-Star selection for the next five seasons. In the last five seasons, Tatum has averaged 26.8 points shooting 46% from field goals, 7.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.7 blocks per game.
While the Lakers have had good moments since the 2017 NBA Draft, including the 2020 COVID championship title, they don’t measure to the success the Celtics have under Tatum. The Celtics have appeared in five Eastern Conference title series, two NBA Finals series and one title under three different head coaches.
Tatum is 8-6 in regular season matchups against the Lakers. He has averaged 24.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists in those 14 games played.
The Celtics (6-1) remain the team to beat this season thanks to the dynamic roster and the star potential of Tatum. It will be a while before Tatum will get his chance to take on the Lakers again with the next matchup being on January 23, 2025, in Los Angeles, but Tatum will be ready,
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