5 Fun Facts About Jayson Tatum

1. “HE’S ONLY 19!” Jayson was in fact the kid who had EVERYONE caught up in his age his rookie year. At one point, he led the league shooting a near 50% from three and the hype only intensified. Of course, even a rookie phenom ages, but we will never forget all of the viral “he’s only 19” moments.
2. His mom is his superhero. Jayson was raised by his mother Brandy and would attend college classes with her when he was just a baby. As a single mom, Brandy got her Bachelor’s and Law degrees while working two jobs and attending all of his games and practices. We can only imagine how proud she is of her son, the All-Star. #Motivation
3. “I want to be Kobe”. Jayson names Kobe as the reason he started playing basketball. He was around 10 years old when he began studying Kobe’s moves and adding them to his game. But it wasn’t just the Kobe shoes he wore, even his coaches said he had that Mamba Mentality to be the best. #MambaForever
4. Daddy and Deuce make a difference together. Two years ago, Jayson launched his holiday “Daddy & Deuce Toy & Coat Drive” benefiting children and families in need in the St. Louis area. Before he was in the NBA, he dreamt of helping kids in these situations, so we love to see it go full circle! #BiggerThanBasketball
5. Taco Jay. Jayson is a HUGE fan of tacos (especially his mom’s) and even makes them himself. During last year’s All-Star festivities, he shared that he usually starts with three tacos and uses an ENTIRE bag of cheese. Honestly, we can’t blame him, the cheese is the best part! #TacoBoutIt