Repeat NBA Championship hopes quickly disappeared into thin air for Boston Celtics fans on May 13 when Jayson Tatum writhed in pain on the Madison Square Garden floor. Many feared what would soon be confirmed to be true -- a ruptured Achilles tendon.
While rehab options are more advanced than they used to be, it’s an injury that will likely keep the Celtics star sidelined for the entire 2025-26 season. In this case, “likely” actually holds home weight.
If there’s one characteristic Tatum is known for, it’s his persistence. The St. Louis native will rarely miss games, even in late March and early April, when Boston’s playoff fate has already been determined. Just last season, JT rolled his ankle in Sacramento against the Kings and only missed one game before returning to action.
It’s no surprise that the superstar forward has hopes of being back up to speed in eight to nine months, according to his father.
Tatum sounds like he's progressing nicely in his recovery
That goal is a lofty one, but Tatum may be headed in the right direction. Photos of him working out and rehabbing at the Auerbach Center haven’t exactly been hard to find, and the hard work sounds like it may be paying off.
According to an anonymous scout who spoke with Heavy Sports’ Steve Bulpett, Tatum is moving “really well” for someone as closely removed from the severe injury as he is.
“He was moving really well,” said the scout who had seen Tatum helping at Chris Paul’s CP3 Elite camp in Las Vegas. “There might have been a slight limp or something, but the surprising thing to me is that he didn’t have a boot for any of it.”
The update is certainly positive, but shouldn’t be taken out of context. Tatum still has a long road ahead before returning to basketball activities.
“I’m no doctor, but I’ve seen guys coming back from Achilles’ tears, and he looked way ahead. I was kind of shocked to see how well he was moving. I have no idea for what any of this means for when he can come back. I’m sure him and the Celtics’ medical people have their program set up, and they’ll make sure that he’s where he needs to be when he does get back. But he looks great right now. Of course, he didn’t do any running or even jogging, but he was in great shape and he had no trouble doing his part at the camp.”
The months following Tatum’s injury haven’t been kind to the Celtics. They’ve lost several contributors to their 2024 NBA Championship team due to second-apron penalties. The roster will look far different next season, so much so that rushing Tatum back wouldn’t even be worth it. The best course of action is for Tatum to take all the time he needs to ensure his injury heals properly.