Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum is back on the basketball court at last; 133 days after tearing his Achilles tendon on May 12, Tatum participated in an on-court basketball workout on Monday, his first since the injury. He shared some of the details about his rehab process with ESPN’s Malika Andrews on Tuesday.
“It’s been it’s been a gradual transition,” Tatum said.
“Right now, the period I’m in, it’s getting pretty much back to, like, ramping up basketball workouts,” Tatum continued. “Yesterday, I had my first on-court basketball workout for about 15 to 20 minutes, and it just felt really natural. And it was like a sigh relief to be back on the court again.”
Tatum, 27, did a few different interviews with the media on Tuesday. In multiple instances, he hinted at the desire to re-join his Celtics teammates on the floor — in NBA games — at some point during the 2025-26 season.
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Fans and analysts reacted in a multitude of ways to Tatum’s remarks, with some saying that Boston’s contention hopes might be back on, and others saying that Tatum’s chances of returning this season are still incredibly slim, despite his mindset.
Tatum underwent surgery on his Achilles in New York City less than 24 hours after suffering the injury at Madison Square Garden, an important factor that multiple medical experts have pointed at as advantageous for Tatum’s recovery.
The six-time NBA All-Star told Stephen A. Smith on Tuesday that he’s working extremely hard at rehab six days a week, and that he has a “goal” in mind, a remark that most people interpreted as an indication that Tatum is shooting to return in 2025-26.
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Whatever fate befalls Tatum in the coming months, the reality for the Celtics is that they will be without him for the foreseeable future and will have to re-work their entire chemistry in the absence of other key players from the 2024 championship team like Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford.
Head coach Joe Mazzulla will face the toughest challenge of his young career, but the Celtics are still expected to be competitive in a weakened East.
Featured image via Eric Canha/Imagn Images
