Jayson Tatum is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
He has been a shining star right from his college days, and it seemed pre-destined for him to make it onto the grandest stage of all. Besides his skills on the court, he also has a marketable face which has earned him big brand endorsement deals. However, unlike most professional athletes you know, Jayson lives a very private lifestyle and does not leverage his fame to act wild.
10 quick facts about Jayson Tatum of Boston Celtics
- His parents had him when they were both 19 and still undergraduates at the Duke University.
- Jayson’s father, Justin, introduced him to basketball early because he was a coach and sporting director of a school. His mom is a practicing legal practitioner.
- After his freshman season at college, Tatum opted to go directly into the 2017 NBA draft and signed with the Boston Celtics.
- After making his NBA debut in October 2017, he was named the Eastern Conference’s Rookie of The Month for December 2017, and in May 2018, Tatum was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team (First Team).
- By the end of 2020, he agreed to a five-year contract extension with Boston Celtics, which was worth 195 million dollars.
- He scored 53 points in April 2021 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, becoming the youngest Celtics player to score 50+ points.
- In May 2021, Jayson scored 60 points in one game and became tied with Larry Bird for the highest points total by a Celtics player.
- During the 2021/2022 season, Jayson became one of the most valuable players in the NBA with several record-tying and breaking exploits.
- He welcomed a son named Deuce in 2017 with his high school girlfriend, Toriah Lachell.
- Jayson Tatum and singer Ella Mai are alleged to have been in a relationship since 2020, and they were spotted together at a party in July 2022.
Early life
Jayson was born to Justin Tatum and Brandy Cole. His father, Justin, undoubtedly introduced him to basketball as he was previously the coach and athletics director at Soldan International Studies High School for six years. Meanwhile, his mother is a practicing attorney in the St. Louis area. Justin and Brandy were both 19-year-old undergrads when they welcomed Jayson.

Is Jayson Tatum white?
Jaysin Tatum is a Black man, although, he is light-skinned and it has made people think of him as white. There has also been queries concerning his relationship with actor Channing Tatum. Is Jayson Tatum related to Channing Tatum? No, they just share the same last name, which is not uncommon. However, they are not related.
Jayson Tatum Career
So, when did Jayson start playing basketball? Likely, as a child. However, records of his career start from his high school days at Chaminade College Preparatory School in Creve Coeur, Missouri. As a freshman, he averaged 13.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game and was named 2013 Metro Catholic Conference Co-Player of the year, leading the Red Devils to both (MCC) and Missouri District 2 crowns. As a sophomore in 2014, he averaged 26.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. As a junior, he averaged 25.9 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game, while earning Second-team Naismith Trophy All-American honors.
Among his senior-year highlights were a 40 point, 17 rebound game in a 76 57 win over Bentonville High School and its star Malik Monk, a 46 point game against Huntington Prep at the Cancer Research Classic, and a final 40 point game against DeMatha Catholic High School at the 2016 HoopHall Classic.
By the time he turned 18, he was already rated as a five-star recruit and considered one of the best prospects in the 2016 class. He joined Duke University’s team and made his debut for them in December 2016. He went on to have a successful freshman season at Duke, ranking fourth in made free throws (118), fifth in rebounds, and a free throw percentage (of 849.).
Professional Career at NBA
After his freshman season, Tatum opted to go directly into the 2017 NBA draft and was projected as a first-round selection. He joined the Boston Celtics and began his professional career with them. Jayson was eventually named to the All-Summer League Second Team alongside Bryn Forbes, Cheick Diallo, Wayne Selden Jr., and Kyle Kuzma.
After his NBA debut in October, he was named the Eastern Conference’s Rookie of The Month for December 2017. On May 22, 2018, Tatum was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team (First Team). His sophomore season was not very eventful, although he did win the Skills Challenge competition during the NBA All-Star Weekend.
In the 2019/2020 season, Jayson scored a career-high of 41 points and was named an NBA All-Star for the first time in his career, being selected as an Eastern Conference reserve in January 2020. Then, after the pandemic halted the season for months, he returned even stronger and was named to the All-NBA Third Team in August 2020.






