Jayson Tatum opens up about emotional message to Celtics before season debut

Rhythmic chants of "Jayson Tatum" or "JT" echoed throughout TD Garden on Friday night. Whether it was during the national anthem, when someone, anyone, was at the free-throw line, or to fill the silence during a pause in the action, those cheers were loud, and they were constant. It was an outpouring of support to an individual who, after nearly 10 months, was back where he belonged, doing what he loves.

The day before Tatum made his season debut, he delivered a message of gratitude to the Boston Celtics.

"One, just being vulnerable, showing my appreciation to the team, of how they have played this season, how they motivated me every single day, that the joy and competitive nature that they displayed, I wanted to be a part of that," conveyed Tatum after the Celtics' 120-100 win over the Dallas Mavericks. "I say it all the time, going through rehab and being injured is lonely. And it's not intentional, but there's a lot -- I couldn't practice for a while. I couldn't be in the game. When they were on the court, I was in the weight room, having to do my own thing. So you feel isolated, in a sense.

"But I just expressed that being around as much as possible, going to games, being on the plane, really made me feel like I was still very much a part of the team, and how thankful to the group [for] just being themselves that I was. Thankful to the coaches that I extended their days a lot by helping me during rehab, and on the court, and [in] pick-up games, and my conditioning. So, I really just kind of telling everybody in the room that they all played a part in essentially helping me get to this moment, and I was just very thankful for that."

What stood out to Joe Mazzulla about Tatum's message

In the immediate aftermath of his Achilles tear, the six-time All-Star felt betrayed by the game of basketball. He never cheated the process. Tatum was an iron man at a time when fans are less likely than ever to see stars suit up when they buy a ticket. For a devastating injury like this to happen to him, it made him question his relationship with the game.

However, when you love something as much as Tatum does basketball, you don't walk away from it; you fight for it. He relentlessly attacked his rehab. The ramp-up process isn't over. He still needs to get his legs under him, as evidenced by him missing his first six field goal attempts, including a dunk that would have blown the roof off of TD Garden. That will come in time.

What's most important is that he was back out there, as Joe Mazzulla put it post-game, playing with "a sense of freedom."

Boston's bench boss also shared what stood out to him as he was alongside Tatum to support him throughout his journey back. It was a maturation crystallized as he listened to his star forward's message during the Celtics' team meeting on Thursday.

"Just the way that he talked to his teammates, about his teammates, I just think it was, you know, he came out the other side of this a better person, and, I know, [he] became a better player. And that's all you can ask for," expressed Mazzulla.

Friday night at TD Garden, with his name bellowing throughout the building, Tatum took the most gratifying step yet in this journey. He registered 15 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists, earning a +20 plus-minus rating in 27 minutes of floor time. It was a testament to the all-around impact that the four-time All-NBA First Team selection is capable of making.

And this was only the beginning of his next phase. One that could end with him helping propel his team back to the NBA mountaintop. Perhaps this doesn't culminate in that storybook ending. Regardless, Tatum now gets to exchange those moments of isolation for the chance to share in that competitive spirit and joy he has watched his teammates take the court with. In its own way, that probably feels like a championship to him.