Jayson Tatum opens up on his relationship with Michael Jordan: “I got his name on my phone as Uncle Mike”

Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics is one of several NBA stars currently under contract with Michael Jordan’s Jordan Brand. Tatum recently opened up about his relationship with “His Airness” and what it was like to know the Chicago Bulls legend personally.

In an appearance on Carmelo Anthony’s “7PM in Brooklyn” podcast, Tatum discussed his relationship with Jordan. He shared that he called the six-time NBA champion before his first NBA Finals game back in 2022 when the Celtics faced the Golden State Warriors.

“We’ve been locked in and that’s another person that I would text, I will call. I remember right before my first time going to the Finals, I remember we got to San Francisco and I called him. I was like, ‘Yo, like how’s this going to be like? What is it like being in the Finals? ‘What should I expect? We talked for a long time and he’s somebody that he’ll text me after games and whatever. I got his name in my phone as Uncle Mike, so that’s my man,” Tatum said.

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Jayson Tatum signed with Jordan Brand back in 2019, and they released his first signature shoe called the “Tatum 1” last year to critical acclaim. It was a hit with fans and even made the Boston Celtics star a household name, not just in the NBA, but in sneaker culture.

“I want people to feel like they can connect to me. I remember being a kid, walking into the store and looking for the signature shoes of my favorite players. The moment I saw the shoe or put the shoe on, I felt like I was in sync and closer to them in a way. So, I want this shoe to be a bridge between my fans and me, to bring us closer together,” Tatum said on the launch of his first signature shoe with Jordan.

Jayson Tatum was a Kobe Bryant fan growing up

Jayson Tatum was a Kobe Bryant fan growing up. (Photo: IMAGN)
Despite his current relationship with Michael Jordan, Jayson Tatum was a huge Kobe Bryant fan growing up in St. Louis, Missouri. Bryant was Tatum’s favorite player, and he even supported the LA Lakers. He was born in 1998, so he was a kid during Kobe’s prime, and Jordan was already retired.

But as fate would have it, Tatum was selected by the Boston Celtics with the No. 3 pick in the 2017 NBA draft. And as a Lakers fan growing up, he used to hate the Celtics but had no other choice since it’s his dream to play in the NBA.

Fast forward to his seventh year in the league, Tatum helped the Celtics win their 18th NBA championship, overtaking the Lakers for most all-time.