Who is Mark Tatum? What to know about the Deputy Commissioner of the NBA, 2023 Draft lottery host

The most famous Tatum in the NBA plays in Boston. Tatum No. 2? Well, he calls New York home.Fans tuning into the 2023 NBA Draft lottery will be greeted by a familiar face. Granted, it's one who lurks in the shadows more often than not.NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum has been pivotal to the league's growth over the past two decades. Come every May, he gets his close-up: as the host of the NBA Draft lottery.MORE: NBA Draft Lottery 2023 odds, full picks order & tiebreakersHere's what you need to know about one of the game's unsung contributors.Who is Mark Tatum?As the league's deputy commissioner and chief operating officer, Tatum wears a lot of hats. He spearheads some of the league office's more important functions, including global partnerships, marketing and global strategy. When he's not chopping it up with billion-dollar companies, he's handling matters for the G League.Since being hired in 1999, Tatum has earned plaudits for business acumen. He led the league's push to stitch corporate sponsorships on team jerseys and helped facilitate the G League's collaboration with Gatorade. He also helped orchestrate Nike's partnership with the NBA, WNBA and G League — each league is outfitted by the sports apparel supernova.Tatum isn't the most vocal of figures in the NBA's toolkit. But he's among its most versatile, even filling in for commissioner Adam Silver to present the Larry O'Brien Trophy to the Warriors last summer.Is Mark Tatum related to Jayson Tatum?Despite sharing a last name with Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum, the two are not related. Perhaps they're brothers in arms, though; both are custodians of the game and all of its glory.Then again, Mark Tatum represents the governors' interests. Jayson Tatum does not. So, maybe not.MORE: Who is Jayson Tatum's father?Where is Adam Silver?Tatum represents the league's interest at the draft lottery, filling in for league commissioner Adam Silver at one of the NBA's more low-key events.So, just where is Silver? New York, ostensibly. That's where the league offices are based in. And Silver, who presides over five different leagues — the NBA, WNBA, G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League — has plenty of responsibilities on his plate, such as keeping the league's billionaire owners satisfied.Don't worry, though. Health permitting, Silver should crown the NBA champion in mid-June. And if you have any additional fix for him, you can find him at the 2023 NBA Draft on June 22.