One of the most talented players in the 2017 NBA draft class, Jayson Tatum was picked by the Boston Celtics. He was a key player for his team in his college career. Naturally, everyone now wants to know more about him.
Jayson Tatum lived up to lofty expectations and was the third overall pick of the 2017 NBA draft. The Boston Celtics possibly landed the best player out of this year’s lot. An exceptionally polished and pure scorer, his college career made him a top prospect for this year’s NBA draft. Here’s more about this rising star in the NBA, including facts about his family in Jayson Tatum’s wiki.
He was a Five-Star Recruit
Recruiting agencies named the 19-year-old a five-star recruit and not without reason. As a freshman at Chaminade College Preparatory School in Missouri, he had an average of 13.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. His stats continued to improve and increased to an average of 29.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game while posting six 40-point games. During the 2015-16 season, he led Chaminade Prep to their second Missouri Class 5A state championship.
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He committed to Duke University, and there were huge expectations from him. But he missed the first eight games of the season due to an injury. Despite that, he pretty much became a superstar by the end of the season when he averaged 16.8 points, 7.3 boards, and 2.3 assists per game. He decided to give up his final three years of collegiate eligibility and enter the 2017 NBA Draft.
Though he played only one season, he stood out and was projected as a first-round selection. Despite having the first overall pick, Boston traded with Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for the third pick and a future first-rounder. That’s how Tatum was the third overall draft pick by the Celtics. We’re pretty sure he’s now on the way to earning a big paycheck.
His Father is a Basketball Coach
Tatum’s father, Justin Tatum, is a former basketball player who is now a celebrated high school coach. He was the coach and athletics director at Soldan High School for six years before he was hired by Christian Brothers College High School at the age of 34. It was his alma mater, and he has been there since 2013.
Many expected Jayson to transfer to CBC to be coached by his father. But he stayed at Chaminade and faced off against his father’s team several times. The Tatum men have a playful rivalry.
Justin Tatum would gloat about the three state title rings he has —first as a player at CBC in 1997 and second as a coach at CBC and Soldan. And Jayson Tatum, who played for Team USA at FIBA twice, would show off his gold. “And then I’d have to break out my two gold medals that I won with Team USA,” the junior Tatum said. He added, “He won those in the state, I won mine against the world. I think I win that one.”
Jayson: 1 Dad: 0
His Mom was His First Classmate
Brandy Cole had Jayson when she was just 19, but she refused to drop out of school and was determined to complete her college education. When she found out she was pregnant, she had to give up on a volleyball scholarship to Tennessee. Tatum was raised by his mother while his father played college basketball and then pro overseas. She couldn’t afford a babysitter and her mother was working too. So, from the time he was a baby until he was eight years old, she took him along to attend the classes with her.
“I remember sitting in the back of her classes, eating snacks or immersing myself in books or video games. I kept quiet, listening in here and there — to me, most of her professors seemed boring and talked a lot. But I had my things to focus on, she had hers. It felt normal,” Tatum penned in an article about his mother.
When he was in sixth grade, Cole got her bachelors; she also received another degree in political science and a law degree in 2010. Justin Tatum returned from the Netherlands and coached Jayson until he was 14. Cole didn’t allow her son’s academic performance to suffer because of basketball and encouraged him to be a role model off the court the way he looked up to Kobe Bryant.
Cole was the one who kept track of her son’s growing height. He was always tall for his age, taller than most of his teachers in his class. “I want to say in 8th to 9th grade–I grew six or seven inches,” says Tatum and now at 6’8” one has to crane their neck to the ceiling to talk to Tatum.
He Has Two Half-Siblings
Jayson has a sister, Kayden and brother Jaycob. He is especially close with Kayden. Justin Tatum recalled a time when Jayson came over and held Kayden before one of his games, telling her, “I’m gonna play hard for you,” and “You’re gonna have the best sweet sixteen birthday ever!” She is only two years old now, so there’s still some time until her sweet 16. But her brother will be an NBA star by then so she’ll have a lot to be proud of!
