Jayson Tatum isn't backing down on his road to recovery.
Celtics’ Jayson Tatum credits his sons for motivation during Achilles injury rehab originally appeared on The Sporting News
The Boston Celtics and Jayson Tatum are both facing adversity following their Eastern Conference semifinals loss to the New York Knicks.
During the series, Tatum suffered a ruptured Achilles and is likely to miss most, if not all, of the 2025-26 campaign. Amid looming financial constraints due to the second apron, Boston opted to retool its roster and shed salary this offseason following the superstar forward’s injury.
With a new-look roster and Jaylen Brown now the No. 1 option in Boston, the Celtics aim to exceed expectations as Tatum works toward returning. The 27-year-old has been working tirelessly to get back on the court, and it isn’t entirely out of the question that he could return for a playoff run.
MORE: Celtics' Jayson Tatum opens up about Achilles injury recovery
Jayson Tatum motivated to return to full strength
Injuries of this magnitude have derailed careers in the past, but the six-time All-Star isn’t letting that affect his mindset. In a recent interview with Eileen Finan of People, Tatum revealed how his sons have kept him motivated through a grueling rehab process.
“What kind of a life lesson is that if I was like, ‘This might be too much, I’ll just call it quits’?” he told People. “As a parent, you want your kids to be proud of you, I want them to look at me like, ‘He showed me what it’s like to fight through adversity. I want my kids to see that Dad didn’t give up.’”
Tatum has two sons, seven-year-old Deuce and 14-month-old Dylan, both of whom have inspired Tatum to keep pushing. He’s on a mission to show his kids the power of hard work, which may end up accelerating his recovery.
The Celtics aren’t expected to rush him back, though Tatum hasn’t ruled out a potential return this season. Regardless, he continues to fight toward getting back on the court for Boston.
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