What really happened between Jayson Tatum and Toriah Lachell? Get the verified story: how they met, the secret pregnancy, their son Deuce, the custody question, and her career as a salon owner.
Few NBA stories generate as many searches as the one about Jayson Tatum‘s family life. Every time Deuce appears courtside or at a postgame press conference, fans wonder about his mother. Searches for Toriah Lachell keep climbing, and much of what circulates online is speculation, recycled gossip, or outright error.
This guide separates what is reported from what is rumor. It matters because Toriah Lachell is a private person and Deuce is a child. Accurate, respectful information serves readers better than clickbait. Where public sources disagree or say nothing, this article says so.
Who Is Toriah Lachell?
Toriah Lachell is an entrepreneur and hairstylist from St. Louis, Missouri. She owns The Curl Bar in Boston and is best known publicly for dating Boston Celtics player Jayson Tatum. Today she is also recognized as a business owner in her own right.
She is the mother of Jayson “Deuce” Tatum Jr., which is why her name appears so often in NBA coverage. She is not a celebrity in the traditional sense, and her public profile exists largely because of that connection.
What is Toriah Lachell’s real name?
Toriah Lachell appears to be her real name, not a stage name. One profile gives her full name as Toriah Nicole Lachell. Some outlets add the surname “Mimms,” but the sourcing on that is thin, so treat it as unconfirmed.
How old is Toriah Lachell?
Most profiles place her birth in February 2000, though the exact day varies by source (February 6 in some, February 20 or 21 in others). That makes her about 26 today. Her height is listed at 5 feet 7 inches by one outlet, but no primary source confirms it. Her ethnicity and family background are not publicly documented in any reliable way, and they have no bearing on the story.
How Did Jayson Tatum and Toriah Lachell Meet?
The two have been described as high school sweethearts. Tatum attended Chaminade College Preparatory, an all-boys school, while Lachell went to McCluer North High School, so they likely met through mutual friends. Another account says they first crossed paths at Chaminade College Preparatory School, so outlets disagree about the exact setting.
What is consistent is that they were teenagers in the St. Louis area who began as friends and moved into a relationship. One outlet dates the start of the relationship to August 2014. Treat that date as reported rather than confirmed.
The Relationship Timeline
The rough sequence, as reported:
- 2014: The two begin dating as high school students in the St. Louis area.
- 2016-17: Tatum plays his one season at Duke, and the relationship faces the strain of distance.
- Spring 2017: Lachell tells Tatum she is pregnant as his freshman year wraps up.
- June 2017: Tatum is drafted third overall by the Celtics.
- December 2017: Deuce is born during Tatum’s rookie season.
- 2018: Lachell moves to Boston and later opens her salon.
Some sources say the couple split before the birth and others say shortly after, so the exact breakup date is unclear. Speculation about why is plentiful, but none of it is confirmed by either person.
The Pregnancy Secret Tatum Later Explained
The most substantive “what happened” moment came from Tatum himself. In an interview with Graham Bensinger, Tatum said he was “terrified” and struggled to accept the news that he and Lachell would welcome a child. He had just finished his freshman season at Duke and was focused on the draft.
He admitted he was thinking about his career first. He told no teammates or coaches, worried the news would hurt his draft stock. He later called his reaction selfish and acknowledged he handled it poorly.
He eventually told head coach Brad Stevens, who he said was supportive. The story is often framed as a scandal, but it reads more like a young man’s candid account of fear and immaturity. He has spoken about it publicly and with accountability.
The Birth of Deuce
Jayson Tatum Jr. was born in December 2017, and Tatum announced his birth in January 2018. Most sources give the birth date as December 6, though a few say December 7. Tatum was 19 and Lachell was around 17 to 20 depending on which outlet you trust, so the age details are worth verifying before repeating them.
Deuce has become a fixture at Celtics games and makes occasional appearances at press conferences. That visibility is the main reason his mother draws so much attention, even though she rarely appears beside them.
Why Did Jayson Tatum and Toriah Lachell Break Up?
Nobody has publicly explained it. One profile notes that there’s no clear reason why the couple broke up. Online forums have attached specific allegations to the split, but these are anonymous claims. Neither Tatum nor Lachell has confirmed them, so they don’t belong in a factual account.
What is documented is the outcome: two young parents who separated as a couple and chose to raise their son together. Public speculation about the breakup tells you very little, while their conduct since tells you more.
Does Jayson Tatum Have Full Custody of His Son Deuce?
This is one of the most searched questions, and the honest answer is that it’s not publicly known. One analysis notes that no statements or court documents have directly stated what kind of custody arrangement Tatum has with Lachell.
Reports conflict. Some outlets say the two share joint custody, with Tatum also paying child support. Another says there is no official information on who has custody, though several publications have named Mimms as the legal custodian. A third calls Tatum a single dad because he is so hands-on, which describes his involvement, not a legal ruling.
So “full custody” is unverified. What can be said is that Tatum is clearly a very present father, and Lachell is described as helping with parenting too. Legal arrangements are private family matters unless the parents disclose them.
How They Co-Parent in Practice
Everything reported points to a cooperative arrangement. One source says Toriah moved to Boston so Deuce could be closer to his dad. That move shaped much of her adult life, and she built a business there.
Tatum has described his approach to fatherhood at press conferences, saying he intended to be both an elite player and a strong father. Balancing an NBA schedule with a young child means travel, practices, and games, and the arrangement appears to depend on both parents being flexible.
For readers, the takeaway is that co-parenting under public scrutiny works best when both sides keep details private. Their relative silence is likely a feature, not a mystery.
Toriah Lachell’s Career: The Curl Bar Boston
Lachell’s professional story is arguably the more interesting one. She entered cosmetology school in Boston and completed her program the following year. She later opened The Curl Bar Boston, a salon focused on natural and curly hair.
She is a Deva curl certified stylist and is also Rezo Cut certified. On a podcast, she explained that her passion began with learning to accept and love her own curls. One profile says her long-term goals include expanding the salon, creating online curl-education courses, and possibly launching her own hair-care product line. Those are described as goals, not announced plans. A practical example for aspiring entrepreneurs: she built a niche specialty (curly hair) in a city where she arrived as a new mother, rather than competing as a generalist.
Instagram, Net Worth, Husband, and Parents: Sorting Fact From Guesswork
Several related searches deserve straight answers.
Toriah Lachell Instagram: She has a public social media presence tied to her business, but she keeps her personal life guarded. Searching her salon’s name is the most reliable route, and fan accounts using her name should be treated with caution.
Toriah Lachell net worth: No verified figure exists. Any specific number you see is an estimate, and sites publishing them rarely show their math.
Toriah Lachell husband: No reliable source reports a marriage. Confusion sometimes arises because people mistake “Tatum’s ex” for “Tatum’s wife,” which one outlet addressed head-on. As for Tatum, the same outlet noted he was unmarried, with rumors of a relationship with Ella Mai and no concrete evidence of marriage. Relationship status may have changed, so check a current source.
Toriah Lachell parents: Some profiles name her mother and stepfather, but this is family information about private individuals. It adds little value and is worth leaving out.
Reading Celebrity Coverage Critically
The Toriah Lachell search results are a good case study in low-quality information. Many articles copy one another, including errors: conflicting birth dates, a disputed surname, and even one that mangled her name into “Loriah.” Some sites present forum rumors as fact.
Practical tips for readers:
- Look for claims attributed to Tatum or Lachell directly, such as the Bensinger interview.
- Be skeptical of exact ages, net worth figures, and custody claims with no cited document.
- Notice when an article says “reportedly” and then states the claim as settled two paragraphs later.
Conclusion
So what happened with Jayson Tatum and Toriah Lachell? Two St. Louis high school sweethearts faced an unplanned pregnancy just as one of them was entering the NBA. Tatum has acknowledged that he reacted selfishly at first. They welcomed Deuce in December 2017, separated as a couple for reasons neither has explained, and appear to have settled into a cooperative co-parenting relationship.
Lachell built a life in Boston, including a salon that reflects her own expertise. The rest, including custody terms, net worth, and the reasons for the split, is either unverified or private. The most respectful and accurate way to follow this story is to rely on what the two have said themselves and leave the remainder alone.