Star Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has been making the rounds with the media recently, and sounds very optimistic.
Star Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has been making the rounds with the media recently, interviewing with People magazine and "Today with Jenna and Friends". The St. Louis native has of course been speaking on his rehab from a torn Achilles tendon sustained vs. the New York Knicks in the 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals, and his words about a potential return have been exciting fans of the team -- and worrying others.
From the sounds of both interviews, Tatum appears to be preparing for a return this season, even if most of the history of high-profile athletes has shown a year or close to it is a more realistic timetable until very recently. Cutting-edge surgery techniques that have returned NFL players in an even shorter window hint that such a move is possible, but that will likely do little to assuage the concerns of fans who do not want him to return too soon due to the risk of reinjury Tatum would face.
But asked when he might return to the court, the Duke alum did not sound like someone throwing caution to the wind just to stoke their ego.
"That is the million-dollar question," said Tatum of when he might be back in the NBA via Forbes' Bobby Krivitsky. "I think for me and my team, the doctors, the organization, the most important thing is making a full recovery, (and) being back 100%. Not rushing it. But I haven't said like, 'Yo, I'm not playing this season,' or anything like that."
As to whether he has a goal in mind for when he might return, the Celtics star was a bit coy. "I have a goal in my mind…I'm not working out, rehabbing six days a week for no reason."
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Jayson Tatum sounds like he thinks he'll be back with the Celtics this season
Category: Basketball