If you’ve watched even five minutes of a Boston Celtics broadcast lately, you’ve seen him. Deuce Tatum. The pint-sized superstar with better court-side seats than most billionaires. He’s practically the team mascot at this point. But while the world is obsessed with Jayson Tatum’s son, the conversation around the Jayson Tatum baby momma—or rather, the women in his life—is usually a mess of old rumors and outdated Instagram sleuthing.
People love a tidy narrative. They want one name, one story, one "happily ever after."
Life isn't that simple. Especially not when you're an NBA champion under the brightest lights in Boston.
Toriah Lachell: The Foundation of the Deuce Era
First, let’s clear up the history. When people search for the Jayson Tatum baby momma, they are almost always thinking of Toriah Lachell. She isn't just some footnote in a gossip column; she’s the mother of Jayson "Deuce" Christopher Tatum Jr. and has been there since the literal beginning of his professional journey.
Toriah and Jayson were high school sweethearts in Missouri. They grew up in that St. Louis orbit—him at Chaminade, her at McCluer North. It was a classic local romance. But things got real, fast. Tatum found out Toriah was pregnant during his freshman year at Duke. Honestly, he’s been pretty candid about how terrifying that was. He was about to be a top-three NBA pick. He was nineteen.
"I wasn’t ecstatic," Tatum admitted in an interview with Graham Bensinger. He was scared. He thought it might ruin his draft stock. He actually kept the pregnancy a secret from the Celtics until right before Deuce was born in December 2017.
Toriah didn't just fade into the background after they split. She moved to Boston. Why? Because co-parenting actually requires being in the same zip code if you want to do it right. She’s built a legitimate career for herself as a hair specialist. She owns The Curl Bar Boston, a high-end salon that specializes in natural curls. She isn't chasing the "influencer" life. Her personal Instagram is private. She’s out here working, raising a kid who the entire city of Boston treats like royalty, and keeping her business separate from the NBA circus.
The Secret Evolution: Ella Mai and the New Addition
Now, this is where the "baby momma" tag gets complicated. As of 2026, the landscape of Jayson Tatum’s personal life has shifted significantly, even if he’s tried his hardest to keep the shutters closed.
For years, fans played detective with R&B singer Ella Mai. There were matching backgrounds in TikToks. There were sightings at Michael Rubin’s White Party. It was the worst-kept secret in the league. But the dynamic changed during the 2024 championship run.
You might remember the footage from the Paris Olympics. Tatum wins gold, and there’s Ella Mai, standing with Tatum’s mother, Brandy Cole-Barnes, holding a newborn. That was the unofficial "hard launch." The couple reportedly welcomed a son, Dylan, in late 2024.
Ella Mai finally broke her silence on motherhood in December 2025 during an interview with KISS XTRA. She joked about their son being a "singing hooper." It was a rare, vulnerable moment from a couple that treats their privacy like a classified government document.
So, when you talk about the Jayson Tatum baby momma today, you’re actually talking about two very different women who represent two different eras of his life.
- Toriah Lachell: The high school sweetheart, the co-parent of Deuce, and the Boston business owner.
- Ella Mai: The Grammy-winning partner and mother of his second child, Dylan.
Why the Co-Parenting Dynamic Works
It’s easy to look for drama. The internet lives for it. But by all accounts, the Tatum village is incredibly tight-knit.
Jayson’s mother, Brandy Cole-Barnes, is the glue. She’s the one who was in those law school classes with Jayson when he was a kid, and now she’s the one helping manage the chaos of a multi-child, multi-household family. In Boston, you’ll often see Toriah and Brandy together at games.
That doesn't happen by accident.
✨ Don't miss: Lisa Manobal: Why the LLOUD Era Is Just Getting Started
It takes a lot of maturity to sideline personal ego for the sake of a kid like Deuce. Tatum has mentioned that Toriah, Brandy, and himself all interviewed schools together for Deuce. They make decisions as a unit. In a world of messy "baby mama" drama on reality TV, this is basically the gold standard of how to handle a complicated family tree.
The Reality of Being a "Celeb" Parent
Being the Jayson Tatum baby momma—whether we're talking about Toriah or Ella—comes with a weird level of scrutiny.
Toriah has had to deal with the "gold digger" tropes that people lazily throw at any woman who has a child with an athlete. She countered that by opening a salon and staying out of the tabloids. Ella Mai has had to deal with fans obsessed with why she "hid" her pregnancy.
Her answer? She wanted peace.
"If you're intentional with the way that you move, it's not that hard to not be seen," Ella said recently. It’s a masterclass in boundary setting. They aren't hiding their lives; they're protecting them.
Actionable Insights for the Curious
If you’re trying to keep up with the Tatums, here’s the reality of the situation in 2026:
- Stop looking for "Tea": There isn't much. The relationship between Tatum and Toriah is strictly co-parenting. They haven't been "together" in years, but they are incredibly effective partners in raising Deuce.
- Respect the Privacy: Ella Mai and Jayson are notoriously private for a reason. Don't expect a "day in the life" vlog anytime soon. They value the "normalcy" of their kids' lives over social media engagement.
- Support the Business: If you're in Boston and have curly hair, Toriah's The Curl Bar is actually legit. It’s not just a "celebrity vanity project"—she’s a certified specialist.
- Watch the Court: The best way to see the family dynamic is to watch the post-game celebrations. That’s where the real, unscripted moments happen, usually with Deuce stealing the microphone.
The "baby momma" label is often used to diminish women, but in the case of Jayson Tatum’s life, it describes two women who are arguably the most important architects of his off-court success. One built a business from the ground up while raising a Boston icon; the other is balancing a global music career with a new family.
👉 See also: The Kim Porter Lost Words Book Controversy: What's Real and What's Fake
They’re doing just fine without the gossip.
Would you like me to research more about Toriah Lachell's business expansion or the latest updates on Ella Mai's 2026 album tour?