2017 was a special year for Jayson Tatum. Not only did his career in the league take off with his draft, but he also embraced a new role in his personal life— becoming a father. It wasn’t easy stepping into that role just six months into his professional career, but Tatum was clear about his mindset, “I was going to be the best father as the best basketball player.” And seven years down the lane, he has balanced both remarkably well. No matter the obstacles, Daddy Tatum is ready to move mountains for baby Deuce. While he hasn’t moved them yet, he forced the Celtics to get something for his firstborn that most NBA players dream of their entire careers.

A day ago, Tatum shared a series of pictures on his Instagram with the caption, “Salute me or sho-t me.” If you scroll through the post, you will notice something special on the 14th slide. There’s a snap of a championship ring and it wasn’t Tatum’s. The 6-time All-Star had gifted his son that ring. Not only did it feature Deuce’s name, but it also had the number 18 inscribed on it, symbolizing the number of titles won by the Celtics. Take a moment to soak it in.

The 26-year-old forward had the Celtics create the custom ring for his son. And you can’t miss the price tag. It costs somewhere between $30,000 and $50,000. Isn’t that a pretty extravagant gift for a 7-year-old? But not for Tatum. There’s certainly nothing he wouldn’t do to see his son’s smile. Well, now it looks like Deuce is officially a part of the Celtics’ legacy.

Tatum has truly stuck to his words. On one hand, he’s ensured he’s the best father to Deuce, and on the other, he has tirelessly worked to improve his resume with each passing season. Amid the outside distractions, he made some bold demands from his teammates and reached a major career milestone, proving his commitment to his leadership.

Jayson Tatum achieves new heights on the hardwood

The Celtics had just absorbed a tough 21-point loss to their biggest rivals in the West, the Lakers. Following the setback, Jayson Tatum made it clear that the team needed more “match physicality.” But that wasn’t all. “With physicality, you got to be tougher, be stronger, meet the challenge,” JT boldly confessed in a postgame locker room interview. The Celtics seemed to have taken those words to heart and came out stronger on the next mission on their West Coast trip.

Besides snatching the 122-107 victory from the Mavericks on Saturday, there was something else that the team celebrated with Tatum at the forefront. JT finished the night not just with 24 points, but with a career total of 13,000 points over nearly his eight seasons. This is a remarkable achievement, considering he’s only 26. That made him etch his name into the league’s history books as the seventh NBA player to reach that mark before turning 27.

Tatum certainly has a long way to go in fulfilling his desire to be the best basketball player, but he’s clearly walking on the right path and may be one day he’ll tick that box too.