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Celtics’ Jayson Tatum shares update on ‘tedious’ rehab from Achilles injury
“The first six weeks of this was probably the toughest six weeks of any point in my life."
Jayson Tatum has largely remained mum on his arduous return from a ruptured Achilles tendon — opting to share updates on his recovery largely via social media as he works his way back on the court.
But, in a short video posted by the NBA on Wednesday, the Celtics star forward spoke for the first time about his recovery efforts as he remains on the mend.
“Rehab is tedious, man,” Tatum said. “It’s six days a week. I’m starting to get a little bit better. I’m out of the boot now. Better days ahead, but just trying to take it one day at a time. You gotta be resilient.
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“The first six weeks of this was probably the toughest six weeks of any point in my life. Just have to accept it and realize it happened. And now I have to do everything in my power to get back to who I was and get back to playing.”
Despite the challenges that presented themselves during Tatum’s early stages of recovery, the six-time All-Star has started to take steps forward over the last few weeks.
The 27-year-old was spotted at Patriots training camp earlier this month moving without a boot or brace. He was seen later walking up steps without assistance while on site for a groundbreaking event for an early childhood education center in Providence.
There’s still no official timeline for Tatum’s return to the court.
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Given the timing of his injury in May, the lengthy recovery timeline that comes with Achilles injuries, and the likelihood that Boston is staring at a bridge season, there’s a possibility that Tatum won’t be cleared until the start of the 2026-27 campaign.
But, speaking in June, Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said the team hasn’t started any process when it comes to determining Tatum’s return to the parquet floor.
“We don’t and we won’t,” Stevens said after the first round of the NBA Draft. “We won’t put a projected timeline on him for a long, long time. … It’s baby steps right now. He’s actually progressed great, but I don’t know what that means in regard to projected timelines. But that will be in consultation with him … and everybody else to make sure when he hits the court he is fully ready, and fully healthy. And that will be the priority.”
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