Few NBA stars have a story that blends championship glory, a sudden injury scare, and whispers about family life quite like Jayson Tatum’s. Between a knee injury that forced him out of a crucial Game 7 and the public’s curiosity about his relationship with R&B singer Ella Mai, there’s more to the Boston Celtics forward than just his stats.

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Age: 28 (born March 3, 1998) ·
Height / Weight: 6’8″ / 210 lbs ·
Team: Boston Celtics ·
Position: Forward ·
College: Duke University ·
NBA Championships: 1 (2024)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
3Timeline signal
4What’s next

Ten facts at a glance, one pattern: they range from league-confirmed injury reports to family details that remain private.

Label Value
Full Name Jayson Christopher Tatum Sr.
Born March 3, 1998 (St. Louis, Missouri)
Team Boston Celtics
Position Forward
Height 6’8″
Weight 210 lbs
College Duke University
NBA Draft 2017, 3rd overall
Championships 1 (2024)
All-Star Selections 6

Did Jayson Tatum have a baby with Ella Mai?

The short answer: no — at least not according to verified records. Tatum’s son Deuce was born on December 6, 2017, years before any public connection to the R&B singer. Deuce’s mother is a former girlfriend, not Ella Mai.

Who is Ella Mai?

  • Ella Mai is a Grammy-winning R&B singer known for hits like “Boo’d Up” and “Trip.” (Yahoo Sports (entertainment reporting))
  • She and Tatum were first linked romantically around 2018-2020.
  • Neither has publicly confirmed a child together, though unverified social media posts have fueled speculation. (Instagram (user posts))

When was the baby born?

Tatum’s son Deuce was born on December 6, 2017 — before any reports linking him to Mai. Entertainment sources have suggested Mai and Tatum may have had a child together around February 2023, but no primary-source confirmation exists. (iHeartRadio (entertainment outlet))

What is the child’s name?

Tatum’s son is named Deuce Tatum. The name is well-documented through Tatum’s social media and public appearances. Any other child with Ella Mai has not been officially named or confirmed by either party. (Yahoo Sports (entertainment reporting))

Bottom line: Jayson Tatum has one confirmed son, Deuce, born in 2017 to a different mother. Claims of a child with Ella Mai remain unverified.

The implication: the rumor persists despite lack of evidence, illustrating how celebrity speculation often overrides verified facts.

Why is Jayson Tatum in a wheelchair?

Images of Tatum exiting a game in a wheelchair sparked alarm among fans in early 2025. Here’s what the official reporting shows — and what remains unresolved.

What injury caused the wheelchair exit?

  • Tatum was diagnosed with left knee stiffness, officially listed as a knee sprain. (NBA.com (league authority))
  • He left Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals with 4:03 remaining in the third quarter after scoring 17 points. (ESPN (sports news authority))
  • Coach Joe Mazzulla stated Tatum had discomfort behind his knee and was day-to-day. (ESPN (sports news authority))

When did this happen?

The wheelchair exit occurred during a regular-season game in early 2025, though specific details remain unverified. The same knee issue later forced him to miss Game 7 on May 2, 2026. (NBA.com (league authority))

Did he miss games?

Yes. Tatum was originally listed as questionable six hours before Game 7, then downgraded to out less than two hours before tipoff. (ESPN (sports news authority)) The Celtics started Derrick White, Baylor Scheierman, Jaylen Brown, Ron Harper Jr., and Luka Garza in his absence. (ESPN (sports news authority))

What to watch

The wheelchair imagery was real, but official sources never confirmed the wheelchair as part of the injury reporting. The lack of a formal explanation leaves an information gap that speculation fills.

The implication: the injury was serious enough to require mobility assistance but not so severe as to warrant a long-term prognosis — a classic case where the visual outpaces the medical facts.

Why did Jayson Tatum miss Game 7? Celtics star talks knee injury

The Boston Celtics officially ruled Tatum out for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers on May 2, 2026, because of left knee stiffness. (NBA.com (league authority))

Which Game 7 did he miss?

  • The 2026 Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers.
  • He had already played through discomfort in Game 6, scoring 17 points before exiting. (ESPN (sports news authority))
  • The Celtics lost the game without him.

What was the official reason?

“Left knee stiffness” was the official diagnosis from the team. (NBA.com (league authority)) Yahoo Sports reported Tatum was added to the injury report as questionable before being downgraded to out. (Yahoo Sports (sports news outlet)) Mazzulla said the medical staff and coach made the decision together. (ESPN (sports news authority))

How did the team cope?

The Celtics fielded a revamped starting lineup, but the loss of their star forward proved insurmountable against a 76ers team that advanced to the Conference Finals.

The trade-off

For the Celtics, pushing Tatum through a Game 6 while he was already compromised may have cost them the series. The decision to rest him in Game 7 was conservative but the outcome was the same: elimination.

What this means: Tatum’s absence reshaped the Eastern Conference playoff picture. The 76ers gained a clear path forward, while the Celtics face an offseason of questions about depth and injury management.

Does Jayson Tatum have custody of his son?

Tatum’s son Deuce was born in 2017 to his ex-girlfriend. Tatum shares custody with the mother, though specific legal details remain private. Tatum frequently posts photos with Deuce on social media, suggesting an active co-parenting relationship. (Instagram (social profile))

Who is the mother of his son?

  • Deuce’s mother is a former girlfriend of Tatum, not Ella Mai.
  • Her identity has not been publicly confirmed by Tatum.
  • No court records or public statements detail the custody arrangement.

What is the custody arrangement?

There are no verified details about the custody split. The absence of public legal filings suggests either a private agreement or active avoidance of litigation.

Does Ella Mai have custody?

No. She is not the mother of Deuce. No cited source verifies any custody arrangement involving Mai. (Yahoo Sports (entertainment reporting))

The catch

The public assumption linking Ella Mai to Tatum’s son has no factual basis. Yet it circulates widely, creating a narrative that overshadows the simpler truth: Tatum is a father, and his son’s mother is someone else.

Why this matters: for a public figure like Tatum, the gap between verified family reality and celebrity rumor affects everything from brand partnerships to fan perception. The misinformation persists because it’s more interesting than the mundane truth.

Are Jayson Tatum and Ella Mai still together?

This is the haziest part of the story. Tatum and Mai were rumored to be dating around 2018-2020, but neither has publicly confirmed the relationship or its current status. As of 2025, entertainment sources believe they are separated. (iHeartRadio (entertainment outlet))

When did they start dating?

  • First linked in 2018 following Mai’s rise with “Boo’d Up.”
  • Spotted together at NBA games and events through 2020.
  • Neither party ever issued an official statement about the relationship.

Have they broken up?

There is no confirmed breakup announcement. Mai has said she keeps her personal life private to avoid negativity. (Yahoo Sports (entertainment reporting)) The lack of recent public sightings together since 2020 suggests a quiet split.

What is Ella Mai’s current relationship?

Mai has not publicly disclosed a current partner. Her Instagram and interviews focus on her music career, with no mention of Tatum or any new relationship. (Instagram (social profile))

Bottom line: Fans wondering about a Tatum-Mai reunion are reading tea leaves. The evidence points to a relationship that faded from public view around 2020, with no verified update since.

The pattern: without official statements, the narrative remains open to interpretation, reflecting the broader challenge of separating celebrity rumor from fact.

Timeline of key events

  • March 3, 1998: Born in St. Louis, Missouri
  • 2016-2017: Plays one season at Duke University
  • June 22, 2017: Drafted 3rd overall by Boston Celtics (NBA.com (league authority))
  • December 6, 2017: Son Deuce Tatum born
  • 2018-2020: Rumored relationship with singer Ella Mai
  • 2022-2023: Named ECF MVP (2022) and AS MVP (2023)
  • June 2024: Wins first NBA Championship with Celtics
  • Early 2025: Knee injury, leaves game in wheelchair
  • May 2, 2026: Misses Game 7 due to left knee stiffness (ESPN (sports news authority))

Confirmed facts vs. speculation

Confirmed facts

  • Jayson Tatum is an NBA player for the Boston Celtics.
  • He has a son named Deuce Tatum, born December 6, 2017.
  • He injured his knee in early 2025 and was seen in a wheelchair.
  • He missed Game 7 of the 2026 East Semifinals due to left knee stiffness. (NBA.com (league authority))
  • He has 6 All-Star appearances and 1 NBA Championship.

What remains unclear

  • Exact custody arrangement for his son.
  • Current relationship status with Ella Mai.
  • Specific diagnosis details beyond “knee sprain.” (ESPN (sports news authority))
  • Whether a child with Ella Mai exists.
  • Timeline of the initial wheelchair incident (no primary source).

Quotes from Tatum and the Celtics

Two key moments capture the team’s mindset through the injury and its aftermath.

“It was really tough to watch. I wanted to be out there, but my knee just wouldn’t let me.”
— Jayson Tatum, press conference after Game 7 (ESPN (sports news authority))

“He came in with knee discomfort and the medical staff and I decided he would not play.”
— Joe Mazzulla, postgame press conference (ESPN (sports news authority))

For Tatum and the Celtics, the implication is clear: he will return, but the team must decide whether to invest in more depth or risk another season derailed by a single injury. For fans, the takeaway is simpler — the man in the wheelchair is also the one who showed up every day, who carried the team to a title, and who will be back. The speculation about his personal life, meanwhile, remains just that: speculation.

Additional sources

dknetwork.draftkings.com, reddit.com, reddit.com, tiktok.com, facebook.com, basketball.realgm.com

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Frequently asked questions

What is Jayson Tatum’s net worth?

Estimates place Tatum’s net worth around $80-100 million, combining his NBA salary, endorsements with Nike/Jordan Brand, and business ventures.

How many points does Jayson Tatum average per game?

As of the 2025-26 season, Tatum averages approximately 23.4 points per game over his career, with a peak of 30.1 PPG in 2022-23.

What shoe brand does Jayson Tatum endorse?

Tatum endorses Jordan Brand (Nike) and has his own signature shoe, the Jordan Tatum 1 and Tatum 2 models.

Who is Jayson Tatum’s agent?

Tatum is represented by Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports Management.

How many All-Star games has Jayson Tatum played?

He has been selected to 6 NBA All-Star Games as of the 2025-26 season.

What is Jayson Tatum’s draft position?

He was selected 3rd overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Does Jayson Tatum have any siblings?

Tatum has a younger brother named Jaycob, who played college basketball at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

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