Bradley Beal: It's a Blessing to Team Up with Jayson Tatum in NBA All-Star Game

Blake SchusterSenior Analyst IIMarch 5, 2021

Washington Wizards' Bradley Beal (3) drives past Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum (0) during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Monday, Dec. 25, 2017. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

Bradley Beal was already excited to make his return to the NBA All-Star Game after missing out in 2020 following back-to-back appearances.

That excitement ratcheted up even further Thursday when Beal was drafted to Team Durant with fellow St. Louis native Jayson Tatum. The Wizards' 119-117 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers closed the first half of the season, and after, Beal explained how excited he was to finally team up with Tatum.

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
"We’ve never never ever been on the same team” Bradley Beal is excited to team up with fellow St. Louis native Tatum on Team Durant 🙏 https://t.co/aEaKGh85x8

Beal, 27, and Tatum, 23, are just far enough apart in age that they wouldn't have faced each other much during their amateur careers, but both have excelled since reaching the NBA. Beal is the league's leading scorer heading into the All-Star break (32.9 points per game).

Tatum, meanwhile, is averaging 24.9 points per game. It's hard to imagine the two won't try to feed each other as much as possible to make up for lost time Sunday when the All-Star Game tips off.

All things considered, it's a savvy draft strategy for Team Durant—and an even bigger win for St. Louis basketball.

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