In a game that played out quite aptly, considering it was Halloween Eve, the Celtics succumbed to the Pacers 135-132 after a shocking showing. But at least Jayson Tatum did his part and did it in style. ‘Deuce’ style, that is.

As he registered 37 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals, Tatum debuted Halloween-themed Jordan Tatum 3s. Taking inspiration from his son Deuce’s favorite comic, Spider-Man, the player-exclusive sneaker was red with black web graphics and blue and white accents. Interestingly, the kicks weren’t the only Jayson Tatum project that took inspiration from his son this past year.

After becoming the story of the moment when Jayson hoisted him up in a sky of confetti after Boston won the title, Deuce watched his father bring home an Olympic gold. And a summer filled with memories for a lifetime ended with Tatum and Deuce getting the chance to make their favorite pastime a venture that features them both.

The Celtics star combined both of his worlds into one: basketball and the time he spends with Deuce reading books. Jayson Tatum released ‘Baby-Dunks-A-Lot’ on August 27, a children’s book co-written with author Sam Apple, catered around a child who becomes a basketball superstar. “To share a piece of our routine and story with the rest of the world, I was super excited about it,” Tatum said in an interview. It doesn’t completely draw inspiration from his real life, but the book does feature some realism.

The illustrations include the main character imposing fear on LeBron James and even Stephen Curry hinting at his habits. “He should really keep the pacifier in his mouth,” the Chef is illustrated saying in the book owing to his habit of biting down on his mouth guard. Surprisingly, though, Tatum never really had any conversation with the two directly about the same. But their teams approved of it either way.

“Honestly, I didn’t have any personal conversations. My team reached out to their team to see if they would be okay with their image and likeness being used in the book, and they were super cool with it. I’m very appreciative of that,” Jayson Tatum told NBA.com. Speaking of LeBron, the interviewer couldn’t help but ask Tatum about the possibility of playing with Deuce in the NBA, seeing how the Lakers legend is currently doing with his son, Bronny.

The 26-year-old replied, “For one, I think that is the coolest thing ever. To just see pictures from LeBron’s first couple of years in the league and having Bronny with him all the time and on the court to now share these moments together. I think it’s a testament to their relationship… A father and son playing in the NBA is something special that I never thought I would see. As far as me and Deuce, a lot of things would have to go right for that to happen.

“It’s too early to tell,” he added. However, it’s evident from what he said – as well as his book – that Tatum would absolutely love for Deuce to follow in his footsteps. Will he? It’s possible. But is the Celtics star pressuring Deuce to go down the basketball path? Not at all. Right now, he’s just focused on being there for his son.

“I make sure that when it’s my days to have him, I’m getting up at 6:30 in the morning to take him to school. When we don’t have a game, I’m making sure I’m there to pick him up after school.” Maybe these everyday moments just spending time with Deuce is why Tatum’s favorite part of the book isn’t when Baby Dunks-a-Lot is playing basketball. So, what it is? “My favorite part is when him and his teammates take a nap. Obviously, as a parent, you need your kids to take a nap. In the NBA, we all take naps before the game.” 

That said, there’s no question that LeBron James and Stephen Curry’s cameo in ‘Baby Dunks-a-Lot’ would’ve appealed to a lot of fans. However, it is odd that they never had a conversation about the book, considering they spent weeks in Paris together as part of the Olympics. But at the same time, it’s great to know that their representatives saw the light side of things and prioritized the greater objective prior to the players’ pride.

Could Jayson Tatum be a feature in Stephen Curry’s series?

Before Tatum launched his children’s book, Stephen Curry had managed to build his own little empire. He had two volumes of ‘I Have a Superpower’ as his children’s books. Curry has always looked to find ways to help the youth and make them realize the importance of education. Whether through his Eat. Learn. Play or other philanthropic gestures, he has made immense strides.

And most recently that led to him becoming a hero in his own book. Notably, right after his memorable debut at the Olympics, the Warriors Cornerstone came out with a graphic novel: ‘Sports Superheroes.’ It’s an engaging book for children that helps share the story of his decorated career. From the time of being overlooked to the days of a Warriors dynasty, the novel goes through it all in a manner to inspire youth. And the 36-year-old plans on making it a series. In his interview with TODAY, he forwarded these intentions.

“It’s a way to bring a real story of my journey into an imaginary world where kids can feel inspired and motivated to whatever their skillset, their talent, their gift is and know that there are going to be ups and downs in life. You kind of have to embrace all the lessons that you learn along the way. Hopefully, this series it starts with me but there are going to be a lot of other athletes that are going to be able to share their tory with the next generation,” said Curry.

Jayson Tatum, too, has an inspiring tale of growing up in a household with a single mother. He watched her take on multiple jobs and keep pushing him to make his basketball dreams come to life. Then came the moment of a championship. It could be too soon, as Tatum’s career is only just taking flight. But do you think he could be a part of such a series down the line, given Tatum’s works in the space? Let us know your views in the comments.