Brandy consistently emphasized the importance of maintaining high academic standards and pursuing further education to her son. In an interview with Sentinel & Enterprise, she reflected on successfully balancing her son’s basketball passion with his academic pursuits.

She recalled a specific incident with her child, saying, “There was this one time I had to call his bluff. I used to tell him, ‘We don’t settle for C’s.’ I knew his potential, so it was always B’s and above. He consistently excelled, but there was this one time he tried to outsmart me. I had to restrict him from going to a tournament. It was a close call – he was devastated. It was around fourth or fifth grade. That was the turning point when he understood I was serious about it.”

Jayson only spent one year at Duke University before being selected in the NBA, but Brandy’s one goal is for him to complete his education.

“That means a lot to me. Many Duke students return to complete their degrees. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, I told him. He knows how much I’ve worked, Brandy remarked in an ESPN interview.

Brandy knew Jayson was talented since elementary school

In an interview with Today, Brandy said that she had foreseen Jayson’s NBA aspirations by the time he was in the fourth grade.

“I knew he was gifted — he would do things and make moves and that you just couldn’t teach,” she remarked. It seems to be something he was born with.

To ensure that she was still encouraging him to do his best while also allowing him to be a kid, Brandy took sure to set boundaries with herself.

“They must desire it more than we do. The important thing is that, she said. “And I believe that occasionally we want to push them harder. I would say to him, “Listen, I will give you every opportunity, every resource, I’ll do whatever it takes, but you have to do your part. ” That was the line for me.

They are grandparents

Jayson Tatum Jr., affectionately known as “Deuce,” is the pride and joy of his father, born on December 6, 2017, when Jayson Tatum, the NBA player, and his then-girlfriend, Toriah Lachell, were just 19 years old. Deuce’s arrival came merely six months after Tatum was selected as the third pick in the NBA draft.

During an interview with Today, Brandy, Jayson’s mother, described her grandson as a “blessing in every way,” expressing how Deuce offered a different perspective for Jayson, bringing an unexpected and profound joy that surpassed even his love for basketball. Brandy emphasized how Deuce had altered Jayson’s outlook on life.

In his own reflections, the Boston Celtics player acknowledged that he draws significant lessons in parenting from his personal experiences. Speaking with Bensinger in October 2022, he revealed, “Growing up, I always noticed the relationships my friends had with their fathers, how it extended beyond sports, and it was something deeper.”

Tatum expressed a desire to create a different bond, stating, “I knew I wanted a child. I made a promise to myself that if I ever had a son, I would ensure we’d be best friends. I wanted to provide what I had missed in my own upbringing.” This commitment reflects his determination to foster a relationship with his son that goes beyond mere fatherhood, striving for a deep and lasting connection.

Justin supported Jayson at the 2023 All-Stars Game

Justin, present at the historic event, took to Instagram to celebrate his son’s outstanding achievement in the 2023 All-Star Game. Accompanied by a photo of himself and Jayson with the MVP trophy, he expressed his pride, stating, “Witnessing your child achieve their dreams… There’s nothing quite like it.” He lauded his son, writing, “My boy @jaytatum0 clinches the All-Star MVP. His record-setting 55-point performance stands as an All-Star milestone. Love you, Chump, a.k.a. Big Deuce.”