The two examples of Jayson Tatum's leadership that impressed Sam Hauser

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum could spend his time rehabbing away from the team. He certainly doesn't have to travel with them. Instead, he's sharing in the relentless rigors of the NBA schedule. Where they go, so does Tatum.

"He's been super active. He's been around. It's been dope to see," said Jaylen Brown, a day before Boston's 121-118 victory vs. the Los Angeles Clippers. "He's been engaged. He's been on the majority of every flight. He's been to almost every film session. That level of dedication, you can tell, he's eager to get back. A lot of guys that know they've got an extended amount of time, they're going to separate themselves mentally for a little bit or whatever. He's been there. He's been like an extra coach, almost, in a sense. So, it's been kind of cool to see."

His commitment to the group is keeping him connected. That is likely to benefit him mentally, as he continues his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon.

But beyond being able to share the locker room still and remain part of inside jokes developed there, on plane rides, and other places behind the scenes, the four-time All-Star is lending his wisdom, as Brown stated, essentially giving the Celtics another coach.

"He has a great mind for the game, so I'll occasionally go over and ask him what he sees," revealed Payton Pritchard after the Celtics' victory over the Clippers. "It's always great to have a teammate like that."

After joking that Tatum is "just annoying me," Derrick White echoed that sentiment. "Obviously, a great basketball mind," he stated. "It's always great to have someone like that, where you can bounce ideas off of and see what he's seeing."

On the heels of Tuesday's practice at the Auerbach Center, it was Sam Hauser's turn to share how impressed he has been by Tatum.

Jayson Tatum is leading by example

The five-time All-NBA First Team selection is relentlessly attacking his rehab. His work ethic is contagious and can inspire his teammates to push themselves.

It captures how, despite not being able to play right now, Tatum is still leading by example. The standard he is holding himself to while working his way back to the lineup sends a clear message for what the expectation is on a team led by him and Jaylen Brown.

It makes it easy to see why the franchise has had so much success, including raising a championship banner to the TD Garden rafters, in their time together.

"He's staying mentally, physically, emotionally prepared, and he's working his tail off every day, as you can see," said Hauser. "His presence is still felt, even though he's not out there with us, and we appreciate him giving his time to us still, even though he hasn't been able to compete with us on the floor. But hopefully, hopefully, at some point this season. If not, no big deal, but he's definitely still one of our leaders, and a guy we can look to for advice."

Tatum's commitment to remaining involved with the team and his engagement during games, acting as another coach rather than someone seeking entertaining distractions, is another commendable aspect of how he is helping lead the Celtics while sidelined. It's another reason his voice will resonate, with his messages received with respect, when he's in uniform again.