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Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum is adding author to his long list of his accomplishments with his new children’s book, “Baby Dunks-a-Lot,” which is inspired by his life as a dad to his 6-year-old son, Jayson “Deuce” Tatum Jr.
The book, co-written with author Sam Apple, is a whimsical tale of a toddler who becomes a basketball star.
Tatum said Apple’s team came to him with the idea for the book two years ago, based on the relationship he had with Deuce. He said like many parents, they would often read together.
“To share a piece of our routine and story with the rest of the world, I was super excited about it,” said Tatum.
The book features several lighthearted moments that any parent can relate to, from playful chaos on the court to the all-important nap time.
“Honestly, my favorite part is when him and his teammates take a nap,” Tatum said. “Obviously, as a parent, you need your kids to take a nap. In the NBA, we all take naps before the game.”
In addition to playful moments, Tatum wanted to be sure the book’s illustrations represented what he saw growing up.
“Representation was super important when creating this book and being organic and showing Black and brown children, that it’s possible to be in books,” said Tatum.
Reflecting on his own childhood, Tatum said while his mother didn’t play basketball, she supported him by taking him to practice and ensuring he was on top of his game.
Looking ahead to the upcoming NBA season, Tatum said he doesn’t think it is going to be an easy road, despite just winning a championship.
“I was super proud of, you know, what we were able to accomplish, to come into the next season and just say we’re going to do it again will be like insensitive,” said Tatum. “Our mindset is not, let’s win the championship again. Let’s start over. Let’s get better every single day and not skip any steps. And that’s why we were successful last season.”
