Jayson Tatum reflects on how being a dad changed his life and career
Jayson Tatum had just turned 19 and was in his only year at Duke when he learned his girlfriend at the time was pregnant.
Getty
Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celticstalks with his son Deuce after losing 103-84 during Game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat at the TD Garden on Monday in Boston, MA. (Photo by Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images)May 29, 2023
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum spent part of his Father’s Day thinking about how his son made him a better person — and probably a better basketball player, too.
Speaking at practice the day before Game 5 of the NBA Finals, Tatum acknowledged that he was “a little selfish” when he learned, as a teenager still in college with hopes of basketball stardom, that he would be a father.
“I’d be the first to say I wasn’t super-thrilled to find out I was going to be a dad, and quickly realized that it was the best thing that ever could have happened to me. There’s nothing better than being a dad,” Tatum said Sunday. “I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.”
Now 26 and in his seventh season, Tatum is a five-time All-Star who has led Boston to the Eastern Conference finals five times and to the NBA Finals twice. The Celtics lead the Dallas Mavericks 3-1 in the best-of-seven series; after missing their first chance to clinch a title on Friday, they have a second shot at an unprecedented 18th championship banner on Monday night.
Tatum had just turned 19 and was in his only year at Duke when he learned his girlfriend at the time was pregnant.
“I wasn’t ecstatic,” Tatum said Sunday. “I was a little selfish at that point because I knew that I was about to go chase my dream and be in the NBA. I felt like that was going to affect what people thought of me, affect where I went in the draft.”
Tatum was picked No. 3 overall by the Celtics, and Jayson Tatum Jr. – familiar around the Celtics as “Deuce” – was born in December of his father’s rookie season. Having a son helped the NBA star manage the expectations of his new wealth and fame, and the temptations that came along with them, too.
“It taught me a sense of responsibility,” Tatum said. “Nobody can help you or prepare you for what it’s like to be 19 and have millions of dollars.
“And I think — not that I think, I know — that having Deuce at that age grounded me. Because whatever decision I wanted to make, I had to make sure that he was taken care of. I couldn’t just up and go or do everything that some of my peers were doing because I had to go home and put him to bed. Or for Father’s Day weekend I was going out of town, or I had to skip out on this trip with my friends because it was my weekend with him.
“Not that it’s a sacrifice. I willingly would choose those things. But it has taught me a sense of responsibility — as well as just making the right decisions, knowing that there’s a 6-year-old ‘mini me’ essentially watching everything that I do and knowing that I have to be the best version of myself. I have to make the right decisions, because he’s always watching.”
News
With 1 Single Photo, Jon Bon Jovi Just Granted A Wish Fans Never Even Knew They Had
With 1 Single Photo, Jon Bon Jovi Just Granted A Wish Fans Never Even Knew They Had Scott Dudelson / Getty Images Surprise! The day has come and how sweet it is…if you’re a huge fan of rock heartthrob Jon…
Jeff Beck Blasts Through “Blaze Of Glory” And Steals Jon Bon Jovi’s Thunder With One 30 Second Solo
Jeff Beck Blasts Through “Blaze Of Glory” And Steals Jon Bon Jovi’s Thunder With One 30 Second Solo photo credit: guitarworld.com Some Of Jeff’s Finest Work Yet One of the greatest guitar players to ever draw breath, it’s…
Carolina Herrera gown that she had worn to a 2021 event in New York.
Carolina Herrera gown that she had worn to a 2021 event in New York. Even Meghan Markle appears to get camera shy sometimes, with the Duchess of Sussex caught ducking behind a friend on the red carpet after striking a fierce pose…
Justin Reid’s Girlfriend Recreates Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker’s Iconic Pregnancy Announcement at Chiefs Game
Justin Reid’s Girlfriend Recreates Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker’s Iconic Pregnancy Announcement at Chiefs Game Marissa Rand shared her pregnancy news during the Kansas City Chiefs game on Monday, Oct. 7 Marissa Rand, Kourtney Kardashian. Photo: Savannah Snow/Instagram; Kourtney Kardashian/Instagram Justin Reid…
Jennifer Lopez breaks her silence on Ben Affleck split
Jennifer Lopez breaks her silence on Ben Affleck split Jennifer Lopez has broken her silence on splitting with Ben Affleck following just two years of marriage and their second attempt at making things work after first parting ways back in 2004. The 55-year-old singer,…
Jennifer Lopez Says She’s ‘Excited’ to Be on Her Own After Ben Affleck Split: ‘I’m Not Looking for Anybody’
Jennifer Lopez Says She’s ‘Excited’ to Be on Her Own After Ben Affleck Split: ‘I’m Not Looking for Anybody’ In a revealing discussion with Nikki Glaser, Lopez shared what she’s learned about being “good on your own” and the buzz…
End of content
No more pages to load