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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 28: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the second half of Game Five of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoff at TD Garden on April 28, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

With a 3-2 lead over the Philadelphia 76ers going into Game 6 on Thursday April 30, 2026, the Boston Celtics can use all the support they can get as they continue their NBA playoff run this season. However, for their star player, Jayson Tatum, one key supporter who has been missing from the playoff sidelines of the TD Garden arena will likely miss yet another opportunity to cheer him on in tonight’s matchup.

Who is the person close to Tatum’s heart who hasn’t been able to make it to the stadium to support him during the playoff series? That would be Ella Mai, his longterm significant other and mother of his two-year-old son, Dylan.

Ella Mai Hasn’t Been Present to Support Jayson Tatum During the Boston Celtics Playoff Run Against the Philadelphia 76ers

GettyBritish singer Ella Mai attends Billboard Women in Music at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles on April 29, 2026. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP via Getty Images)

Jayson Tatum and singer Ella Mai have been in a relationship for several years now. Due to the private nature of their personal life together, the start of their romance is unknown but the pair are believed to have had their first date around 2019 or 2020. About five years into their relationship, they welcomed their first child together when their son, Dylan, was born in 2024. The couple appears to have a very strong bond which has laid the foundation of a healthy relationship for their young family. In fact, their relationship seems to be so secure that they’re able to support one another during peak moments of their respective careers while each working not just in separate countries, but on different continents altogether!

As Tatum has celebrated a milestone career achievement as the second all-time high scorer as a player under the age of 29 competing in the NBA playoffs, falling just behind Lebron James in first place and right above Kobe Bryant in third on the league rankings, Ella Mai has been performing headlining concerts in South Africa.

In a post uploaded to her Instagram account on Wednesday April 29, 2026 – just a day before Tatum is slated to play Game 6 against the 76ers stateside in the U.S. – Ella Mai wrote out the following caption to express her excitement to be in South Africa this week:

“can you tell how happy i am to be back on stage?

two incredible sold out nights in SOUTH AFRICA!

thank you for your amazing energy, i will never forget this trip! eternally grateful for how far music has taken me around the world 💛”

As she genuinely thanked fans for appreciating her music and giving her a warm welcome as she headlined concerts in South Africa, Ella Mai gave the impression of being fully content to be in a separate time zone entirely than her longterm partner, as some fans pointed out in the comments section of her social media post. Whether or not her absence from the Celtics sideline will be felt by Tatum during Game 6 has some Boston fans in turn worried about his performance being impacted without the star’s biggest supporter sitting courtside tonight. So far, at least, the standout forward has performed above and beyond competitors even without Ella Mai to turn to during game breaks.

Amanda Vining Amanda Vining is a career journalist with over 20 years of experience covering news for digital publications. More about Amanda Vining