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Kalan Hooks, ESPN
Childhood memories last a lifetime when they involve your favorite player. But those core memories might not always be positive.
For Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, he remembers when his 11-year-old self wanted to meet then-Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James for an autograph and a picture — but things didn’t go as planned.
JT got his revenge on LeBron 😂 #USABMNT pic.twitter.com/9shcJ87uaM
— NBA (@NBA) July 16, 2024
Tatum’s father, Justin Tatum, was best friends with Larry Hughes when he played with James in Cleveland. Jayson’s mother, Brandy Cole, accompanied 11-year-old Jayson to a regular-season game when the Cavaliers took on the Memphis Grizzlies on the road.
After the game, Tatum, eager to meet James, said he waited his turn to greet the Akron, Ohio, star. But when James attracted a crowd, there was only so much the player could do.
“There was a lot of people back there, and he was like, ‘I’m out. I gotta go,’ and I got in the car and started crying,” Tatum recalled.
Tatum, now 26, has put the incident behind him.
James asked Tatum about the situation at a Team USA shootaround and puzzled together the reason why Tatum put him on a poster during Game 7 of the 2018 Eastern Conference finals.
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Flashback: Tatum dunks on LeBron in 2018 Eastern Conference finals
In the 2018 Eastern Conference finals, Jayson Tatum drives the lane and throws down a monster one-handed slam over LeBron James.
“That’s why you dunked on me, though? That’s why you dunked on me in the [Eastern] Conference finals?” James asked.
“It’s the get-back,” Tatum replied.
Tatum reported to Team USA training camp with a fresh fade haircut on July 8. James pointed out that Tatum sported the same cut when he drove down the middle of the lane and punched on the 20-time NBA All-Star.
“That’s the last time you had that haircut [is when] you punched on me,” James said.
Team USA basketball will take on Serbia in the USA Basketball Showcase on Wednesday at 3 p.m. EST.
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