Jayson Tatum Reveals the Rule Deuce Has to Follow on School Nights

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Jayson Tatum recently shared the school-night rule he and son Deuce follow during the NBA season, including the adorable game-day routine they've developed together.

For Boston Celtics fans, Deuce Tatum has become just as recognizable as many of the players on the roster.

Whether he’s celebrating big wins, stealing the spotlight during postgame interviews or hanging around the team before tipoff, Jayson Tatum’s son has grown up in front of NBA fans.

But despite his courtside status, Deuce doesn’t get to stay for every Celtics game.

During an appearance to promote his new children’s book, “Baby Dunks-a-Lot: The Day the Basketballs Stopped Bouncing,” Tatum shared the parenting rule he and Deuce follow whenever there’s school the next morning.

Deuce Doesn’t Get to Stay Until the Final Buzzer on School Nights

Tatum admitted the conversation wasn’t easy at first.

“It was a tough conversation telling him that, ‘You can’t come every game because you have school the next day,'” Tatum said.

At first, Deuce didn’t quite understand.

“Didn’t really register to him at first,” Tatum said.

Eventually, father and son settled into a routine that works for both of them.

“But we’ve developed a, you know, if it’s a school night, I let him come. I let him ride with me to the games, do the shootaround, and then he’ll have to leave at, like, the second quarter.”

That compromise allows Deuce to experience game day with his dad while still making sure he gets home at a reasonable hour before school.

Deuce’s Goodbye to Jayson Tatum Has Become a Game Night Tradition

The best part of the story came when Tatum described what happens before Deuce heads home.

“It’s funny,” Tatum said. “He’ll run on the court during timeout and tell me, ‘Bye.'”

Then comes the part that drew laughter from the hosts.

“He’ll be like, ‘Joe, excuse me, excuse me,'” Tatum said, referring to Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla.

“And Joe is like, ‘Okay.'”

The lighthearted story offered another glimpse into the close bond between Tatum and his 8-year-old son, who has become one of the NBA’s most beloved young personalities over the past several seasons.

While Deuce may not get to stay for every minute of every game, Tatum has found a way to include him in one of the biggest parts of his life without compromising something even more important: school.

The parenting story also fits naturally with Tatum’s latest project. He appeared on the morning show to promote “Baby Dunks-a-Lot: The Day the Basketballs Stopped Bouncing,” a new children’s book inspired by his experiences as both an NBA superstar and a father.