Jayson Tatum

Jayson Tatum is an American professional basketball player who plays as a Forward for the Boston Celtics in the NBA. He is currently playing his 5th season and has been a five-time NBA All-Star and four-time All-NBA team selection (3-time First Team and 1-time Third Team). Tatum was the Eastern Conference Finals MVP in 2022 for leading his team to the NBA 2022 Finals.

The Boston Celtics selected him as the Third overall choice in the 2017 NBA Draft. In 2024, Tatum was a key part of the Celtics team that won the NBA championship. Jayson Tatum has the potential to become one of the league's best scorers and a Hall of Famer. Tatum became the cover athlete for NBA 2k25 and promises to be one of the NBA's faces for the foreseeable future.

Early life

On March 3, 1998, in St. Louis, Missouri, Jayson Tatum was born. His outstanding high school career began while he was a student at Chaminade College Prep School. He averaged 29.6 points and 9.1 rebounds during his senior season, which helped him win the state title and the 2016 Gatorade National Player of the Year Award. He had a terrific season while playing collegiate basketball for the Duke Blue Devils. He would declare for the 2017 NBA Draft once the season ended.

NBA Journey

In the 2017 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics picked Jayson Tatum as the third overall choice. He was immediately added to the starting lineup and made an impact right away. He contributed significantly to the Celtics' run to the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2018 NBA Playoffs, when they were barely defeated by the Cavaliers in seven games he was selected as the NBA All-Rookie First Team. In the ECF series against the Cavaliers, Tatum had a memorable poster dunk on all-time legend LeBron James. As many had anticipated, Tatum's breakout season did not come in the 2018-19 campaign. The Milwaukee Bucks, who were spearheaded by Giannis, defeated the Celtics 4-1 to send them tumbling out of the 2019 playoffs in the second round.

As Kyrie Irving left the Boston Celtics in 2019 free agency, Jayson Tatum accepted a more challenging role, where he excelled. He guided the team to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they were defeated 4-2 by the Miami Heat. He was chosen for his first NBA All-Star Game. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, He won a gold medal playing for the USA Men's Basketball Team.

The 2020–21 season saw Tatum continue to advance. He finished as the 11th top scorer with 26.4 points per game, up from 23.4 points per game. Except for Jaylen Brown, who also enjoyed a breakout year, his squad surrounding him deteriorated. In 2021 playoffs, the Brooklyn Nets knocked out the Boston Celtics in the opening round, as many Celtics stars had injuries. The 2021-22 season was a memorable one for the Boston Celtics. The team made it to the NBA Finals, with Tatum winning the Eastern Conference Finals MVP. However, the 2022 Finals ended in heartbreak for Jayson Tatum as Steph Curry led the Golden State Warriors back from a 2-1 series deficit to win the championship 4-2, with Curry's incredible performances making the difference.

The 2022-23 season was another standout year for Tatum. He posted the best scoring numbers of his career, averaging an impressive 30.1 points per game, becoming the first player in Celtics history to average 30 or more points in a regular season. The Celtics made it to the Eastern Conference Finals once again but were shocked by the eighth-seeded Miami Heat. Miami took a commanding 3-0 lead in the series before the Celtics stormed back to force a Game 7. With a historic comeback within reach, Jayson Tatum unfortunately rolled his ankle in the first minute of Game 7. Despite playing through the injury, he was hampered, and the Heat won the game, ending the Celtics' season.

The 2023 offseason was promising for the Celtics, as they made key additions by acquiring Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis. In the 2023-24 season, the Celtics finished with the best record in the NBA, and Tatum earned his third consecutive All-NBA First Team selection. The team powered through the playoffs, culminating in a victory over the Dallas Mavericks in five games to claim the 2024 NBA Championship. While Tatum was strong throughout the playoffs, he sometimes took a backseat to his All-Star partner Jaylen Brown, who was in red-hot form. Nonetheless, Tatum was impactful on both ends of the floor as the Celtics secured their record 18th NBA championship.

Jayson Tatum Education

He attended Chaminade College Prep School and had an exceptional high school career. During his senior year, he had an average of 29.6 points and 9.1 rebounds, which helped him win the state championship and the 2016 Gatorade National Player of the Year Award.

Further, he went to Duke Blue Devils for his college Basketball. The Blue Devils won the ACC tournament with a 75-69 victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Tatum had 19 points and 8 rebounds. After averaging 22.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game for the Blue Devils, Tatum was selected to the All-ACC Tournament team. Thus, Tatum decided to enter the 2017 NBA draft immediately after his freshman season ended.

Jayson Tatum Awards and Achievements

5 x NBA All-Star	2020-2024	Boston Celtics
All NBA First Team	2022-2024	Boston Celtics
All NBA Third Team	2020	Boston Celtics
NBA Eastern Conference Finals MVP	2022	Boston Celtics
NBA All-Rookie First Team	2018	Boston Celtics
ACC All-Freshman Team	2017	Duke
Gatorade National Player of the Year	2016	Duke

Jayson Tatum Records

• Tatum became the first Celtics rookie to score 25 or more points in a playoff game since Larry Bird in the 1980 NBA Playoffs, after scoring a career-high 28 points against the Philadelphia 76ers.

• At 20 years, and 61 days old, he surpassed Kobe Bryant to become the youngest player ever to score at least 20 points in four consecutive playoff games after scoring 21 points in a win in Game 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers.

• The youngest Celtics player to reach 50+ points was Tatum.

• He also finished third in points scored while wearing a Celtics uniform, behind Kevin McHale and Larry Bird.

• Since Larry Bird, Jayson is the second player in Celtics history to reach 50+ points and 10+ rebounds.

• He also made history by becoming the only NBA player to score 50 or more points several times during the regular season, 50 or more points in a play-in game, and 50 or more points in the playoffs.

• At age 24, he made 900 three-pointers, making him the NBA's youngest player to accomplish that feat.

• Tatum became the first player in NBA history to score at least 45 points, grab at least 10 rebounds, and make at least eight three-pointers in multiple games.

• In the 2022 Eastern Conference Semifinals Playoffs' Game 7, Jayson Tatum scored 51 points, setting a new record for the most points scored in a Game 7. Tatum also became the first Celtics player to score 50+ points in multiple playoff games. In the same game, Jayson Tatum became the first player in NBA history to score 50+ points in a game without committing any turnovers. He was also the first player to log 50+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 5+ assists in a series-clinching victory. Additionally, he became the first player to score 50+ points in a regular-season game, the NBA All-Star Game, and a playoff game in the same year.

Jayson Tatum's Net worth

The 6 feet 8 inches tall forward and leading scorer for the Celtics Jayson Tatum has built a net worth of almost $25 million over his four-year NBA career. Through the 2021–2022 season, his current NBA deal will pay him $28,103,500. Jordan, the Global Sports Drink Company, Gatorade, Subway, the Potato Chip Company, Ruffles, and last but not least, NBA2k are just a few of the brands he has endorsement partnerships with.

Jayson Tatum Contract

In the 2024 off-season, the Boston Celtics signed Jayson Tatum to a five-year, $314 million guaranteed contract extension which includes the 2029-30 player option. This was the largest contract in NBA history at the time of signing. In the 2024-25 NBA season, Jayson Tatum's salary is set to be $34,848,340.

Read more about Jayson Tatum Contract.

Jayson Tatum Endorsements

Jayson Tatum is a forward who competes in professional basketball for the Boston Celtics. Tatum has advanced significantly as a player and scorer since being selected third overall in the 2017 NBA Draft. Tatum is the Imo's Pizza spokesperson as of 2017 and also signed a contract with the Jordan Brand on June 21, 2019. Thus, he will receive his signature sneakers In March 2023 at a very young age. Additionally, he endorses Subway, NBA 2K, and Gatorade.

Jayson Tatum Family

Justin Tatum and Brandy Cole welcomed Jayson into the world in St. Louis, Missouri. Justin Tatum is a gym teacher and basketball coach at Christian Brothers College High School in St. Louis. When Tatum was born, his parents were both 19-year-old college students; his mother Brandy is now a practicing lawyer after graduating from Saint Louis University School of Law. He's seeing R&B singer Ella Mai right now. Deuce Tatum, his three-year-old son, is named after him.

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Jayson Tatum Girlfriend

Boston Celtics forward and star player Jayson Tatum is currently dating English singer-songwriter Ella Mai Howell who is based in London. He is an R&B musician best known for the song "Boo'd Up," which she published in 2018. The song was named the year's best R&B tune. For some time, Jayson and Ella have been connected. She was supposedly sighted at his residence in October 2020, and since then, they have allegedly been dating. They maintain a very low profile and are rarely seen together in public.

Read more about Jayson Tatum's girlfriend.

Jayson Tatum Parents

Jayson Tatum is the son of Brandy Cole and Justin Tatum. At Christian Brothers College High School in St. Louis, Justin Tatum, a former basketball player at Saint Louis University, teaches gym classes and coaches basketball. His mother Brandy has been a practicing lawyer since graduating from Saint Louis University School of Law. His parents graduated from Saint Louis University in 1997 a year before Jayson's birth.

Jayson Tatum Tattoo

Jayson Tatum also had several tattoos done. Tatum inked a beautiful portrait of his mother and a tiny representation of himself on his right shin to forever define his mother on his body. The words "St. Louis 'til the world blows" are written over his right thigh and a picture of a nuclear explosion. Plus, Tatum chose to portray himself in yet another self-portrait on the left thigh, this time as a father holding his adorable young son. On his left knee, he has several tattoos, including a large "98" with a star on the back. In his calf, The motivational words “I JUST DIDN'T QUIT” are inked. And on the upper side of the back the words ‘GOD’S PLAN’ are written.

Jayson Tatum Shoes

The initial shoe contract for Jayson Tatum was with Nike. Tatum was the first NBA player to try out Nike's auto-lacing HyperAdapt BB sneakers. Tatum signed a multi-year contract with Jordan Brand in 2019, quitting the parent company of Nike. Michael Jordan chose five basketball players to help advertise the new line of Air Jordan shoes, and the Celtics forward was one of them. The shoes Jayson Tatum has with Air Jordan Brand have been fantastic so far. Soon, the Boston Celtics forward will receive his trademark footwear.