Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum is putting a positive spin on his situation amid his rehab from a torn Achilles tendon. During an appearance on Sports Seriously, Tatum claimed the rest of his body feels as strong as ever, and he believes there is a chance he feels as good as he has in years when he returns from injury.
“One of the silver linings I found throughout this is, I’ve had 19 weeks to kind of rehab and strengthen my calf to get it as strong as my left one or stronger, but also really work on my body,” Tatum said. “I’ve went 19 weeks, I haven’t put any stress on my legs by running or playing basketball.
“I’ve really been in the weight room six days a week, working on my core, working on my legs, quads, hamstrings, and all that,” Tatum continued. “I’m injured, but ironically, the rest of my body is as strong as it’s ever been. So, I see a world in which I come back and it’s like, ‘Yo, my body has never felt this good probably since I was like 19 or something like that.”
A lot of players have never been the same after tearing their Achilles, but Tatum is optimistic he’ll be at his best when he returns. The 27-year-old wasn’t always thinking along these lines, though.
Tatum suffered the injury at the end of Game 4 of the 2025 Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Celtics and the New York Knicks. At the time, he was worried that the Celtics might trade him and that his career could be over. It’s only natural that those thoughts crept in back then.
Tatum, who averaged 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game in 2024-25, would eventually steady himself, and he has now been hard at work for months. The six-time All-Star recently had his first basketball workout since the injury and has spoken about the next steps in his recovery.
A clip also recently went viral of Tatum working out, and it’s surprising how well he’s moving.
“Rusty as a motherf***er,” Tatum said.
FOOTAGE OF JAYSON TATUM BACK ON THE COURT 👀🔥
pic.twitter.com/vxDiDtvjl6
— jb (@lockedupjb) September 28, 2025
Tatum’s surgeon had spoken about just how remarkable his recovery had been up to this point. You had initially imagined there was little to no chance of him playing in 2025-26, but he made it clear on First Take that he hadn’t ruled himself out.
Tatum still hopes to return, but added that he wasn’t going to rush back. If he feels great, we’ll see him out there on the court.
The Celtics, the 2024 NBA champions, have been completely written off because of Tatum’s injury and the departures of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. It would be a big boost to have their superstar back early, but you still wouldn’t fancy their chances of making much noise in the playoffs.
The Celtics are significantly weaker now, and the best possible outcome for them out of the 2025-26 campaign would be Tatum showing flashes of his usual self if he returns. That at least gives you optimism for the future.
