Jayson Tatum, the talented forward for the Boston Celtics, faced a life-changing moment at the young age of 19 when he discovered that his girlfriend was pregnant. This revelation came while Tatum was still attending Duke University, before he even entered the NBA.

Initially, Tatum admitted feeling overwhelmed and “sick to his stomach” upon learning the news. He had been focused on his basketball career, preparing to leave Duke and enter the NBA Draft. However, the realization that he was going to be a father shifted his priorities and caused him some distress. Tatum’s mother, Brandy, who had also become a teenage mother, understood the situation and offered support.

During an interview on the Graham Bensinger Show, Tatum candidly expressed his initial selfishness and concerns about balancing fatherhood with his basketball ambitions. In fact, he kept the pregnancy a sеcrеt from NBA teams, fearing that it might negatively impact his draft stock. Eventually, Tatum had to inform the Boston Celtics organization, including coach Brad Stevens, as he needed to be present for the birth of his child and would miss a game.

Tatum embraced his role as a father, and he and his son, Deuce Tatum, have formed a strong bond. Deuce often accompanies his father to games, even joining him on the court and in the Boston Celtics locker room. Deuce’s mother is Toriah Lachell, Jayson Tatum’s high school girlfriend whom he met at Chaminade College Preparatory School in Creve Couer, Missouri. Although Tatum and Lachell are no longer in a romantic relationship, they both actively participate in their son’s life as they reside in the same city, Boston.