A child is a mother’s last love. These words often embody themselves in such relationships. However, Jayson Tatum has always described his relationship with his mother to be “unique”. Having him at just 19, Brandy Cole had to strive to provide her son with everything he desired. She wanted to set him up for success, and her only demand was “I’ll do whatever it takes, but you have to do your part,”.

So it’s only right that the two of them battled the world together. And now, when Tatum is at the pinnacle, Cole is still just as closely involved. Notably, as far as finances are concerned, every decision runs through her. In that vein, they had a rule. Jayson Tatum can’t spend any money he gets from the Boston Celtics. So far, it’s equivalent to nearly $160 million. Has Tatum been able to keep his hands off it though?

“That’s still like 95% true,” Tatum told Forbes. The only time he has splurged from his NBA cheques though is for a good cause. “I have used some of that money to purchase houses for like myself, my mom, my grandma, and things like that. Like everyone else I get paid every two weeks and I have a savings account that I use to invest and things like that and that still is true. I don’t live off my NBA check,”.

According to Forbes, making $13 million from endorsements helps Jayson Tatum live the lifestyle he wants. However, he has still used the philosophy to have money work for him. The Celtics superstar didn’t for the first four years. But then his passion for being something bigger compelled him to step into such spaces.

Today, he has his own candy company, Small Wins, and numerous other investments. Tatum is also reportedly looking to participate in the ownership of WNBA’s St. Louis franchise, strengthening his roots in Boston. At first, Cole was hesitant to dive into the world of investing. But now, the mother-son duo seem to have worked out an agreement.

The numerous sacrifices that led to one Jayson Tatum

Remember the mention of Brandy Cole and Tatum’s relationship being unique. Well, while his father inspired him to play basketball, none of it would have been possible without the mother doing unfathomable things to ensure he got all the opportunities. A self-proclaimed “momma’s boy”, Tatum recalled these feats in his interview with Forbes.

“My mom played the biggest role in my success. She’s my best friend to this day… My mom is why superhero. She sacrificed everything to give her son opportunities to go chase his dream. She was the hardest-working person I knew. She never made any excuses,” Tatum told Forbes. 

Even while raising Tatum, Brandy Cole attended college classes. At times, she would even take her son along with her. Today, she holds four degrees and has ensured Jayson Tatum ran down the right road. However, it wasn’t all so easy at first.

When speaking of the various difficulties, it puts into perspective just how much Cole did to keep her family on their feet. “Lived cheque to cheque all her life growing up. Almost evicted out of our house. You know had to borrow food from our neighbors so I could eat. A lot of the times she didn’t. She just made sure I had something to eat,” Tatum unraveled.

Ultimately, surviving this challenging phase made their bond stronger than ever. And now Brandy Cole gets to watch her young son be a father to Deuce, a sight she has adored.