In the Tatum household, there’s only one boss—Brandy Cole. At just 19, she brought her son into the world, determined to give him everything he deserved. But there was a catch—love came with a deal. While she worked tirelessly to provide, he had to do his part too. Fast forward to 2017, when Jayson Tatum made it to the NBA, they set a few ground rules. And even now, those rules still hold strong.
Recently, the Boston Celtics lethal forward, Jayson Tatum joined Jimmy Kimmel on his talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live. There’s always been a buzz among NBA fans regarding Brandy’s role in JT’s life. Is she his manager? Or just ‘mom’? Addressing the hot topic in hand, the 26-year-old informed the crowd: “She’s my do-it-all person. She’s my mom.” But she’s also someone who’s in charge of the champ’s finances. What about that Tatum?
“What kind of business relationship do you have?” Jimmy Kimmel asked JT. He responded: “She’s in charge of the people in charge of my money. Everybody that works on the business of Jayson Tatum in a way reports to my mom.” Surely, it must be unpleasant at some point with Brandy checking his expenses. Does it not affect the Celtics star?
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Jayson Tatum once again narrated the story about him and his mom making a deal before he walked into the NBA scenes. He told Kimmel: “So we had a deal before I got drafted. That if I could save all of my NBA money from the Celtics your salary, my salary. If I could only live off endorsements, and off-the-court money, then that would be fair. She didn’t know how much money I would make off the court.” Little did Mama Tatum know back then that her son could make around $13 million from endorsements alone.
When it comes to money, nothing gets past her. They even have a rule—Jayson Tatum can’t touch a dime from his Celtics paycheck. That’s nearly $160 million untouched. Sounds crazy, right? But he’s got enough coming in to live large without it. Instead, he’s letting his money work for him. For four years, he didn’t budge. Then, his hunger for something bigger pulled him into the game. Now, he’s not just a star on the court—he’s playing smart off it too.
Jayson Tatum’s ventures with Michael Jordan’s $7 billion empire, have been an interesting conversation. With his Tatum 3 shoes dropping Jimmy Kimmel wanted to know all about the making process and whether his mum approves of them. JT shared: “Yeah it’s a very detailed process…She has some input.” The Sixth Man edition of the Tatum 3 series is green in color, as an ode to the Celtics fans. “These are called the Sixth Man and it’s me showing an appreciation to the fans in Boston. So they’re like the Sixth Man that helps us,” the superstar hooper shared.
Speaking of Tatum’s contract under the Jordan banner, he had a bumpy… embarrassing kickstart.
Jayson Tatum unveils an embarrassing episode from 2019
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“This little guy on your shoe right here may be the most important guy in the history of the NBA. Do you know him well?” Kimmel wanted to know, pointing at the Jordan logo on Jayson Tatum’s Sixth Man. Jayson Tatum recalled his first meeting with Michael Jordan in 2019 in Paris when he joined the Jordan Brand. “It was like a Jordan Brand retreat,” he said, a big summer event before COVID. “It was my first introduction to everybody on the team… like a welcome to the family moment. Until I ruined it.”
That evening, at a dinner with MJ, his wife, and Spike Lee, Tatum nervously approached their table. “I was still thinking, I just turned 21. They were sitting at the table and my table was like over there and I just wanted to go introduce myself again and go sit down… My hands were shaking.” Then disaster struck. “I go to shake his hand. And I knock over his wine glass and spill it everywhere. And I break the glass.” However, Michael Jordan was cool about the incident because, of course, it might have happened a couple of thousand times in his life before!
Jayson Tatum’s journey is proof that greatness isn’t just built on talent—it’s shaped by the people behind the scenes. From his mom keeping his finances in check to his humbling first encounter with MJ, every step has been a lesson. Whether it’s saving every Celtics paycheck or crafting shoes for the fans, Tatum plays the game on and off the court with purpose. And let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want a boss like Brandy Cole?
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Is Brandy Cole the secret weapon behind Jayson Tatum's success on and off the court?
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