Jayson Tatum has become one of the biggest stars in basketball through his scoring ability, playoff performances, and leadership with the Boston Celtics. As his NBA fame expanded, public curiosity about his personal life also grew rapidly. Fans frequently search for details about Tatum’s relationships, especially because the Celtics star generally keeps his dating life far more private than many modern athletes.
Over the years, Tatum has been linked to several women publicly, including high school girlfriend Toriah Lachell, college relationship Samantha “Samie” Amos, and Grammy-winning singer Ella Mai. While many online rumors circulate constantly around NBA stars, only a handful of Tatum’s relationships have credible public reporting attached to them.
What makes Tatum’s dating history especially interesting is how private he remains despite his superstar status. Unlike athletes who regularly showcase relationships online, Tatum rarely discusses romance publicly. Here is a closer look at Jayson Tatum’s girlfriends, rumored relationships, and the women connected to the NBA champion over the years.
Toriah Lachell Was Jayson Tatum’s First Public Relationship
The earliest widely known relationship in Jayson Tatum’s life involved Toriah Lachell, his high school girlfriend.
According to multiple reports, Tatum and Lachell met while attending Chaminade College Preparatory School in Missouri before Tatum’s rise to basketball superstardom. Their relationship continued into the early years of his basketball career, including during his time at Duke University.
The relationship became especially significant because the pair welcomed a son together in December 2017 during Tatum’s rookie NBA season. Their son, Jayson Christopher Tatum Jr., became widely known to fans as “Deuce.”
Deuce quickly became one of the NBA’s most recognizable celebrity children because of his frequent appearances courtside at Celtics games and in postgame celebrations. Tatum has openly discussed how fatherhood changed his perspective early in his career.
Although Tatum and Lachell eventually separated, reports suggest the two remain committed co-parents. Lachell later built her own career as a hairstylist and entrepreneur while largely staying outside celebrity media coverage.
Even years later, many fans still associate Tatum’s personal life most strongly with his role as Deuce’s father.
Samantha “Samie” Amos Dated Tatum During His Duke Years
After separating from Toriah Lachell, Tatum was later linked to Samantha Amos, often referred to online as Samie Amos.
According to relationship reports and celebrity databases, Amos and Tatum dated between 2017 and 2018 while Tatum transitioned from college basketball into the NBA.
Their relationship reportedly became public after Amos posted social media photos supporting Tatum shortly after he was drafted by the Celtics in 2017.
Compared to later relationships tied to Tatum, however, the Amos relationship remained relatively low-profile. There were very few interviews, public appearances, or major celebrity-media stories connected to the pair.
That low visibility reflected a pattern that would continue throughout Tatum’s career: he rarely speaks publicly about romantic relationships.
The relationship reportedly ended sometime in 2018 before Tatum became one of the NBA’s biggest household names.
The relationship most strongly associated with Jayson Tatum today involves British R&B singer Ella Mai.
Rumors linking Tatum and Mai first began around 2019 after fans noticed Mai attending Celtics games and the pair appearing connected through social media activity.
Unlike many celebrity couples, however, Tatum and Mai kept their relationship extremely private. For years, neither publicly confirmed the romance despite constant online speculation. Even when asked directly in interviews, Mai avoided discussing the relationship publicly.
Still, public appearances gradually strengthened rumors over time. The pair attended Michael Rubin’s Fourth of July White Party together in 2022, appeared at NBA-related events, and were spotted supporting each other publicly on multiple occasions.
By 2024, reports intensified dramatically after Mai appeared celebrating the Celtics’ NBA championship victory while visibly pregnant. Multiple outlets later reported that she and Tatum had welcomed a child together.
Recent interviews from 2025 and 2026 also referenced Mai discussing motherhood and raising a son with Tatum, though the couple still avoids heavily publicizing their relationship.
Why Tatum and Ella Mai Keep Their Relationship So Private
One reason fans remain fascinated by Tatum and Ella Mai is that the pair reveal so little publicly.
In an era where celebrity couples often share every detail online, Tatum and Mai have done the opposite. They rarely post about each other on social media and almost never discuss their relationship in interviews. That privacy appears intentional.
Ella Mai has specifically stated in interviews that she prefers keeping dating and family matters away from public attention. Tatum similarly avoids relationship-focused media coverage and instead emphasizes basketball, fatherhood, and family.
Ironically, that secrecy may have made public fascination even stronger. Because the pair rarely confirm details directly, fans constantly analyze courtside appearances, social media clues, and celebrity-event photos searching for relationship updates.
Despite years of rumors, however, neither Tatum nor Mai has publicly announced an engagement or marriage. Recent reports continue describing them as a long-term couple rather than husband and wife.
Like many NBA superstars, Tatum has occasionally been connected to additional dating rumors online.
One frequently mentioned rumor involved model Bella Harris. Relationship databases reference a brief 2021 connection between the two, though there was little substantial public evidence beyond internet speculation.
Because Tatum is one of the NBA’s most marketable stars, social media rumors surrounding his dating life appear regularly. However, very few of these rumors are backed by credible reporting or public confirmation.
That pattern reflects how carefully Tatum manages his public image compared to many modern athletes.
Fatherhood Became Central to Tatum’s Public Identity
Although fans remain curious about his relationships, Tatum’s public identity increasingly centers around fatherhood.
His son Deuce became enormously popular among Celtics fans through frequent courtside appearances, locker-room celebrations, and social media clips. Tatum often speaks about wanting to be remembered not only as a great player but also as a great father.
Recent reports involving Ella Mai and their child further expanded public interest in Tatum’s family life. Still, the NBA star continues to maintain unusually strong boundaries between public fame and private relationships.
That balance may explain why fans continue searching for information about his girlfriends despite relatively little confirmed public drama compared to many celebrity athletes.
The most credible overview of Jayson Tatum’s relationship history includes three major public relationships: high school girlfriend Toriah Lachell, former college-era relationship Samantha Amos, and his long-term relationship with Ella Mai.
Of those relationships, Ella Mai remains the most significant and current public connection in his life. Reports from 2024 through 2026 strongly indicate the pair remains together while raising a child privately.
Ultimately, however, Tatum continues treating relationships as secondary to basketball and family rather than celebrity publicity.
That privacy has become part of what separates him from many other modern sports stars, and why public interest in his dating life remains so persistent.
