Jayson Tatum, who isn’t 19 anymore, has matured into one of the best players in the NBA today. After spearheading an NBA Finals appearance for the Celtics in 2021-22, Tatum seems to have elevated himself into the MVP conversation early this season.
Advertisement
As is the case with most NBA players, Tatum, too had to overcome various obstacles to get to where he is. And one of them involved a strict ultimatum provided by his mother pertaining to his education.
Tatum’s mother, Brandy Cole, is a practicing attorney who holds multiple degrees to her name. And with such a background, Brandy was quite the stickler regarding education.
With Tatum being a basketball fanatic from a young age, certain challenges arose when it came to finding the right balance between basketball and education. And Brandy Cole made sure Tatum did not have the option to slack off in his education. Her trump card? Pulling Tatum out of basketball.
Also read: Jayson Tatum Becomes Youngest to Join the 8000-800 Club, Ahead of the Likes of Stephen Curry
Why did Tatum’s mother pull him from basketball at a young age?
It would appear that Tatum was a dedicated disciple of basketball from a tender age. The Celtics star appeared to be destined for stardom at around the age of 8 and his parents recognized this.
However, his mother, in particular, was extremely strict about the fact that the young star cannot compromise education. To this extent, Cole admitted to using basketball as leverage to drive a young Tatum forward in his academic pursuits.
While Tatum was starring in a tournament as a third grader, his mother observed him slacking off academically. And this was not acceptable to her at all. Cole instantly pulled young Jayson from the tournament.
That his mother would take such a drastic step would have surprised Tatum and scared him straight. For someone invested in a sport from a young age, there is in fact, no punishment or fear greater than not being able to play basketball.
And clearly, Cole’s tactic worked. The “leverage” was evident and Tatum figured out how to balance his academics with his journey to basketball stardom.
Jayson eventually did well enough academically to make the cut at Duke University, renowned for its high academic requirements even for collegiate athletes. Tatum graduated high school with a 3.5 GPA, a very respectable figure. Cole’s early use of leverage worked, and Jayson secured his future and set a solid academic standard while at it.
How did Tatum fare during his collegiate career at Duke?
Once he got into Duke, there was no stopping Jayson. The 6ft 8″ wing played just one season for the Blue Devils, averaging 22 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals a game en route to a spot in the All-ACC Team of the Tournament.
However, Tatum couldn’t lead the Blue Devils to success at the NCAA Tournament. A loss in the second round to South Carolina ended all hopes of a coronation. Tatum had a reasonably successful run, recording 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in the tournament.
There was no coming back though, as Tatum saw his draft stock rise through the season, and declared for the NBA draft. After just one memorable season at Duke, Jayson was ready to test the NBA waters.
After being projected as a sure first-round selection, Tatum saw his draft stock rise steadily. Eventually, Jayson was drafted at #3 by the Boston Celtics. And the rest is history. Tatum immediately established himself as a star in the league and finds himself as an All-NBA first-teamer today.
