Last fall, NBA great Jayson Tatum did something he’d never done before: Attend a runway show during New York Fashion Week.
“These are things I never really thought I would be a part of or be introduced to,” the Boston Celtics superstar told The Hollywood Reporter of sitting front row thanks to Coach. “Now it’s about living in this space, so I’m really kind of excited to see where things continue to take me so I can learn and be a part of new experiences.”
Another new experience arrived this week — on the eve of the NBA playoffs, no less — as Tatum teamed with Coach once again, this time to help the fashion brand launch its latest fragrance. Tatum is the face of Coach’s For Men Eau de Parfum, a scent crafted by perfumer Juliette Karagueuzoglou and described as the “house’s boldest scent yet.” The heart of it contrasts the warm floral scent of geranium with the woody complexity of cedar wood before drying down to the leathery tones of Saffiano leather and warm vetiver. Tatum’s campaign includes a campaign clip (seen below) shot by director and photographer Julian Klincewicz and a print rollout from photographer Elaine Constantine.
Tatum talked to THR about his scent strategy, how he’s feeling this week heading into the playoffs as defending champions and what’s next for him in Hollywood after starring in Netflix’s Starting 5.
I know you’ve probably been offered many brand partnerships over the years. What do you look for before saying yes?
At this stage in my career, I only really kind of do things that I want to do. A lot of it really has to be organic. The opportunity to work with Coach feels like a full circle moment for me and it really brought about the kid in me. It was either my 10th, 11th, or 12th birthday; I got a Coach money clip from my mom. It was the first time that I felt close to being an adult because I remember seeing my parents, grandparents and all of these adults had similar clips and wallets. I still remember how it made me feel, so this just made sense.
Do you request to smell the fragrance before you sign on?
Oh yeah, absolutely. For me, especially as I’ve gotten older, the best compliment that you can receive once you’re dressed and out and about is, “Hey, you smell good. What scent is that?” The confidence that the right fragrance can give you is priceless.
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Do you remember when you first fell in love with fragrances or the first cologne you had as a kid?
No. I used to take the little sample bottles from the mall when I would go with my mom. I would just put a bunch in my pocket, and just run through them as fast as I did.
Do you wear cologne daily or just for special occasions now?
It’s both. You have something that you wear on a daily basis and then you have a scent when you’re going out socially with your friends or whatever, and then something different for dinner. Or if you’re going to a gala, you might have something super special. It just depends on the person. But that’s kind of for me, just a different scent for the occasion.
I know some people are anti-cologne in the locker room because it can be too overpowering in that space. What’s your take on that?
After the game you do what you need to do. Everybody has their own hygiene routine. A lot of guys wear cologne after the game.
How many sprays for you?
I’m a four-spray type of guy. I spray the left side of my neck, the right side of my neck, the left side of my body and the right side. Sometimes, it’s the chest or stomach area — just four quick pumps.
Aside from the Coach fragrance, what other Coach items do you love in your closet these days?
Finally, now that it’s April and spring and summer are nearly upon us, especially living in Boston, I can get some more use out of my Coach glasses. I’m really looking forward to wearing those throughout the season. It can be very gloomy up here in the Northeast, so I will wait until this time of year when I can start wearing them.
It may be gloomy, but you’re bringing the sunshine these days, heading into the playoffs with a strong finish to the regular season. I know you just broke another one of Larry Bird’s records, so you must be feeling pretty good heading into the playoffs…?
It’s a really exciting time. It’s the best time of the year for basketball players and basketball fans. Playoffs start this weekend, and this is going to be my eighth playoffs, so I understand the joy, the competitiveness, the excitement and all the things that you can accomplish. It really gets me going and gets me excited.
Does it feel different for you now, heading into the eighth time?
Different a little bit because I know now what to expect. I remember my first playoffs like it was yesterday. Time really does fly. Now more than ever, it’s important to enjoy being in the moment and just cherishing this time because one day you look up, like right now, and it’s like, damn, eight years went by already? I’m really just trying to enjoy it.
Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics smiles on court during the second half of a game versus the Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston’s TD Garden on Feb. 28, 2025.
(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
I met you on the red carpet at Netflix’s premiere for Starting 5. We talked a little bit that night about why you decided to take part in that show, and now that it’s been a few months, I’m curious how you feel about that experience in letting cameras document your life and career? And did it whet your appetite for more Hollywood projects in the future?
Yeah, I really enjoyed it, and that’s something that I can envision myself doing, being on a big screen and in TV shows or, hopefully, movies one day down the line. I want to try to experience everything.
Your peers, LeBron James and Steph Curry, have production companies. Do you see yourself formalizing an actual company to pursue those endeavors?
I don’t know, maybe. It’s a possibility. We’ll see where things take me.
Or when you said big-screen, did you mean more on the acting side?
Yeah, more acting.
What about more fashion partnerships like this Coach deal?
This has just really been such a cool experience for me. I was able to go to my first-ever New York Fashion Week event last year with Coach. I went to my first runway show, and these are things I never really thought I would be a part of or be introduced to. Now, it’s about living in this space, so I’m really kind of excited to see where things continue to take me so I can learn and be a part of new experiences.
Charles Melton, Storm Reid and Jayson Tatum at the Coach show during NYFW on Sept. 9, 2024.
Paul Morigi/Getty Images
Domantas Sabonis, Jimmy Butler, Netflix’s Bela Bajaria, LeBron James, Jayson Tatum and Anthony Edwards attend the Starting 5 premiere at Hollywood’s Egyptian Theatre on Sept. 23, 2024.
Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix
