Nineteen weeks ago, Jayson Tatum’s basketball future looked uncertain. A torn Achilles in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the 2025 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Knicks ended his season and left the Boston Celtics franchise in shock.
At 27, Tatum was at the peak of his career, averaging 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists. But the injury immediately raised questions about whether he could return to form, or worse, if his prime had been cut short.
Now, less than five months later, a viral clip of Tatum practicing on the court has not only given Celtics fans hope but also caught the attention of one of the game’s greats. Kevin Durant, who knows firsthand the grueling road back from an Achilles tear, took to X to share his reaction:
“Insane. Let’s get it JT.”
Insane. Let’s get it JT https://t.co/SoMVHo0g3i
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) September 28, 2025
For Durant, who suffered the same injury in the 2019 NBA Finals, seeing Tatum moving so fluidly just 19 weeks into recovery is remarkable. Durant sat out an entire season before returning, and even then, his rehab was considered a success story.
The fact that Tatum is already getting shots up and working on movement drills speaks to his work ethic, his medical team, and perhaps a bit of good fortune.
Tatum himself has been vocal about how his rehab has surprised him. In an interview with Sports Seriously, he made a bold claim: “As strong as it’s ever been,” Tatum said of his body, insisting that the rehab process has forced him to build strength and balance in ways he hadn’t before.
Dr. Martin O’Malley, the surgeon who operated on Tatum, also confirmed that his recovery has been exceptional. He said he had rarely seen a player regain calf strength so quickly and noted that by week eight, Tatum was already performing double heel raises, a milestone that many Achilles patients struggle to reach for months.
The sight of their superstar back in the gym is a massive lift for the Celtics and their fans. After trading away key veterans like Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday in the summer to reset their payroll, Boston is no longer viewed as a title contender this season. But if Tatum can return at some point, even late in the year, the Celtics could suddenly become a dangerous playoff spoiler.
For Durant, watching Tatum’s resilience likely brings back memories of his own journey, and his encouragement highlights the respect across generations of NBA stars. Achilles injuries have ended careers before, but modern medicine, relentless rehab, and sheer willpower are rewriting the script.
If Tatum truly comes back as strong as he feels, this viral workout may go down as the first glimpse of one of the most remarkable comebacks in NBA history.
