Jayson Tatum isn’t ruling out playing this season: ‘I’m not working out six days a week for no reason’
"I haven't said, like, 'yo, I'm not playing this season' or anything like that."
Although ruptured Achilles’ tendon injuries typically require lengthy rehab processes, Celtics forward Jayson Tatum hasn’t ruled out playing during this upcoming season.
During an interview on NBC’s “TODAY with Jenna & Friends,” Tatum spoke about where things stand with his rehab process.
He was asked when he thinks he’ll be back.
“That’s the million-dollar question,” Tatum said. “I think for me, and my team, the doctor, the organization, the most important thing is making a full recovery. Being back 100 percent, not rushing it.”
“But, I haven’t said, like, ‘yo, I’m not playing this season’ or anything like that.”
Tatum said he had a goal for a return date in mind, but declined to share it.
“What I will say is: I’m not working out and rehabbing six days a week for no reason,” the Celtics star said.
Tatum suffered the injury a little more than four months ago, while the Celtics were playing the Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. He stayed overnight to have surgery performed in New York. The Celtics played the rest of the series without him, falling to the Knicks in six games.
“I think, just kind of going back to that day, so many things ran through my mind,” Tatum said. “Especially on the ground. You just have this idea. We’re in New York trying to compete for our second championship and just like that, it all changes.”
“I’ve had the same passion since I was three,” he added. “I’ve always wanted to be kind of who I am. I could envision it. It just kind of felt like it was taken away from me, and that was a hard pill to swallow.”
Tatum said he felt devastated, sad, and emotional in the moment, but has been able to lean on support from his family.
“It’s been tremendous. Going through something that none of us expected or thought would happen. Having my mom, having Deuce and my youngest son Dylan, having my friends around. Just when they didn’t know they were helping me, being around, being joyful, uplifting my spirits. Everybody knows my mom and Deuce are my two best friends in the world.”
The Celtics will open the preseason against the Grizzlies on Oct. 8 in Memphis. They’ll open the regular-season at home against the 76ers two weeks later on Oct. 22, and they’ll close it on April 12 against Orlando.
Tatum did not offer a timeline for his return, but did not seem ready to slam the door shut on this season just yet.
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