The Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 106-88 to win the 2024 NBA Finals, however it was Jayson Tatum’s rumored girlfriend, singer Ella Mai, and her child bump that took middle stage.
On June 17, the Celtics energy ahead saved arguably his finest efficiency for what turned out to be the deciding recreation of the collection, ending Recreation 5 with 31 factors. Tatum, who was drafted third general to Boston in 2017, celebrated his first championship win, which might be seen in viral movies which have now taken over the web.
One other video that has taken social media by storm is a clip of R&B singer Ella Mai ready within the area hallway for Tatum following his win.
Within the footage, the singer is seen carrying a quantity “0” Boston jersey and waving on the NBA star. As she turned towards Tatum to hug him, many social media customers noticed a really noticeable child bump and started speculating that the British music star might be anticipating her first baby.
The video, which has garnered over 1.7 million views within the first few hours, was posted to X by a fan who additionally wrote, “So Ella Mai IS pregnant. What a W 12 months Tatum.”
“Profitable on and off the courtroom we see. Congratulations,” another person stated.
“Ella Mai is pregnant. That child gonna be vibrant as a lightweight bulb,” a fan joked.
Because the congratulations poured in, there have been nonetheless many followers who had no concept that the “Boo’d Up” singer was relationship the five-time NBA All Star.
Individuals journal experiences the 2 have been linked since at the least 2020, after the singer seemingly took to Instagram to shoot her shot on the NBA star in 2019. Though neither has ever publicly disclosed their relationship, Tatum and Mai have been seen collectively a number of occasions over time.
In 2022, Tatum and the four-time Grammy nominee joined Michael Rubin for his annual Fourth of July social gathering. In September 2023, the rumored couple had been noticed facet by facet once more on the marriage ceremony of Memphis Grizzlies participant Marcus Sensible. Then, in November 2023, Tatum helped the R&B songstress rejoice her twenty ninth birthday in New York.
When requested about her love life, throughout a sit-down with “The Breakfast Membership” in 2022, Ella Mai danced round her and Tatum’s romance.
“There’s rumors that you simply’re a Boston Celtics fan,” co-host DJ Envy steered.
“Oh actually? … I’m a basketball fan positively, however you understand I’m not one to speak about my relationship life,” the “Boo’d Up” singer responded.
Regardless of remaining mum about her romantic involvement with Tatum, comic Michael Blackson seemingly blew the lid off their secret after revealing on “The Breakfast Membership” that he was attempting to shoot his shot on the singer earlier than the NBA participant informed him she was taken.
Whereas attending Mike Rubin’s 2022 Fourth of July social gathering within the Hamptons, Blackson stated that he noticed a lovely Black girl who seemed like a traditional individual — not the overly skinny movie star sort. He approached her and struck up a dialog.
“Rapidly, I get tapped on the shoulder,” he recollects. “I stated, ‘You good?’ and he says, ‘Yeah, I’m good as a result of I’m together with her.’”
In keeping with how she’s navigated conversations about their relationship, Ella Mai has not confirmed her being pregnant. Nevertheless, rumors that she is with baby have been circulating on-line for months.
In April, a fan took to X to share with the world that his father noticed Ella Mai and Jayson Tatum at a child bathe and the singer appeared pregnant. Screenshots of the tweets had been posted to the @wagsunfiltered3.0 Instagram web page.
“Bro my dad noticed Jayson Tatum at a child bathe bruh. I assume that mf has one other child,” the fan wrote. “My dad stated that he had a child with some well-known singer. In all probability Ella Mai can’t consider one other individual. He additionally stated they had been feasting on fried rooster.”
Now, upon the Celtics taking dwelling the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, movies and images flow into exhibiting that Ella Mai’s being pregnant is extra obvious.
This would be the first baby for the 29-year-old and Tatum’s second. Tatum’s son, Jayson Christopher Tatum Jr., a.ok.a. “Deuce,” regularly helps his dad heat up on the basketball courtroom earlier than Celtics video games and was current to see his father win his first championship ring.
Tutum was barely 19 years previous and a scholar at Duke when he first discovered that he would change into a father.
“I wasn’t ecstatic,” Tatum informed the Adirondack Each day. “I used to be somewhat egocentric at that time as a result of I knew that I used to be about to go chase my dream and be within the NBA. I felt like that was going to have an effect on what individuals considered me, have an effect on the place I went within the draft.”
He added, “I’d be the primary to say I wasn’t super-thrilled to seek out out I used to be going to be a dad, and shortly realized that it was the most effective factor that ever might have occurred to me. There’s nothing higher than being a dad. I’m a agency believer that the whole lot occurs for a cause.”
In keeping with Tatum, having a son taught him a way of accountability, which has been helpful for him as he navigates his professional basketball profession.
“And I feel — not that I feel, I do know — that having Deuce at that age grounded me. As a result of no matter determination I needed to make, I needed to make it possible for he was taken care of. I couldn’t simply up and go or do the whole lot that a few of my friends had been doing as a result of I needed to go dwelling and put him to mattress,” he said.
Although Tatum wasn’t named NBA Finals MVP, he’s broadly thought-about the most effective general expertise on the Celtics roster. The Boston Celtics have now gained an NBA-record 18 NBA championships after beforehand being tied at 17 with the Los Angeles Lakers.
