The Boston Celtics have looked very different to begin the 2025-26 campaign, and that’s largely because Jayson Tatum is not on the court for them. After suffering a torn Achilles tendon in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, Tatum has been hard at work rehabbing from this serious injury.
After getting selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Tatum quickly turned himself into one of the top players in the league. A six-time All-Star and four-time All-NBA First Team member, Tatum had been one of the most consistently great players in the league up until his aforementioned Achilles injury.
The defining moment of Tatum’s career saw him lead the Celtics to victory in the 2024 NBA Finals. Regardless of what happens when Tatum eventually returns to action, his place in NBA history is already set in stone, which is a very impressive achievement considering he’s only been in the league for eight seasons.
Where Tatum stacks up among the all-time greats, though, is unknown, thanks in large part to the fact that he’s still adding to his list of accomplishments. However, he’s already viewed as one of the top players of his generation, as he came in at No. 23 on The Athletic’s list of the top 25 NBA players of the 21st century.
The fact that Tatum is already able to crack this list is quite impressive. Assuming he is able to return to action and find his form from before his Achilles injury, Tatum should be able to move several spots up this list by the time he eventually calls it a career.
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For now, the Celtics are pushing forward without him, with the hope being that he can eventually return to action later in the 2025-26 campaign. Boston will be back in action on Tuesday night when it squares off against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Featured image via David Butler II/Imagn Images
