Tatum, Jayson (1998-…), is an outstanding small forward in the National Basketball Association (NBA). For an explanation of positions in basketball, see Basketball (The players). Tatum plays for the Boston Celtics. He stands 6 feet 8 inches (203 centimeters) tall. Tatum is one of the highest-scoring active players in the NBA. 
The Celtics selected Tatum with the third pick overall in the 2017 NBA draft. That season, Tatum scored an average of 13.9 points per game. He was named to the 2018 NBA All-Rookie First Team. Tatum improved his average points scored per game in subsequent seasons.
In 2022, the Boston Celtics defeated the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals. Tatum was named the Most Valuable Player of the Eastern Conference playoffs for his performance. However, the Golden State Warriors defeated the Celtics in the NBA Finals.
Tatum has also competed on United States national teams. As a teenager, he played for junior teams in the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). FIBA is the international governing body of basketball. Tatum was part of the teams that won the 2014 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Championship and the 2015 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Championship. Tatum also joined the United States men’s basketball team for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. The 2020 Summer Olympic Games were held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tatum and his teammates won the gold medal, the fourth consecutive Olympic gold for the U.S. men’s basketball team.
Jayson Christopher Tatum was born on March 3, 1998, in St. Louis, Missouri. His father, Justin Tatum, played professional basketball in the Netherlands. His godfather, Larry Hughes, is a former NBA player. Jayson Tatum attended Chaminade College Preparatory School and played on the school’s basketball team. He began attending Duke University in 2016. Tatum played basketball on the university’s team for one season before declaring his eligibility for the NBA draft.
