Jayson Tatum’s rise in the NBA has been nothing short of cataclysmic. From dunking on the king, LeBron James in the Eastern Conference finals in 2018 to being a frontrunner for the coveted NBA MVP award, Tatum has been through it all.
The Boston Celtics All-Star led his franchise to the NBA Finals last season, alongside Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart. The American has been handed the reigns to the kingdom and the city of Boston perceives him as their Messiah.
Tatum has turned to Brown in times of need to aid and assist him when the going gets tough. The guard, in turn, has happily accepted the responsibility, easing the burden from Tatum’s shoulders.
The pair have become a formidable duo, despite all the trade talks that emerged last year. However, you would be surprised to know that Tatum’s biggest assist came from his mother, Brandy Cole.
Jayson Tatum’s mother defended his NBA aspirations.
They say a mother’s love is unmatched. For Jayson Tatum, this expression was proven in actions more so than words. Tatum, like most Americans, grew up with dreams of playing professional basketball in the NBA.
However, unlike most mothers, instead of downplaying his dreams, she stood side by his side.
When he was in the fifth grade, Tatum recalled an incident when he was asked by his teacher what his dream was when he grew up.
An ecstatic Tatum responded by saying that he wanted to play in the NBA. His teacher wasted no time in shutting his hopes down, by saying it was an unrealistic dream.
The teacher, in a sense, wasn’t wrong as the chances of making an NBA franchise are extremely bleak. His mother, however, came to his rescue and defended his dream. Brandy Cole had a message for the teacher. She said:
“Ma’am, with all due respect, if you ask him a question, and he answers, I don’t think it’s appropriate to tell him that’s something he can’t achieve when I’m at home telling him anything he can dream is possible.”
In hindsight, Tatum’s teacher could not have been more wrong, as the 24-year-old has gone on to cement himself as the marquee player of the Boston Celtics. Dreams do come true after all!
Tatum’s ridiculous 2022/2023 campaign!
Tatum has had an exceptional start to his 2023 season leading the Boston Celtics to the first seed ahead of the likes of the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Tatum, in addition, has cemented himself as an MVP frontrunner and is currently averaging 30.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 38 games this season. A successive trip to the NBA Finals must not be counted out.
