An NBA reporter has provided an update on Jayson Tatum’s rehabilitation, as he recovers from an Achilles tear.
Tatum tore his Achilles in the second round of the playoffs in a series against the New York Knicks.
He was one of a number of prominent players to suffer this injury last season, including Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard.
The six-time All-Star was expected to be out for 8-12 months and most likely miss the entirety of the 2025-26 NBA season, but a recent report revealed he may be ahead of schedule.
Tatum is rehabbing his Achilles injury at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he recently shared a workout video on social media.
That was one of the first positive signs to come out of Tatum’s camp. Reporter Ramona Shelbourne shared another on ESPN’s NBA Today.
She said: “There is a good update on Jayson Tatum – he’s walking again! He’s out of the boot and he’s walking again.
“He said he’s been doing six days a week in rehab, and I think he’s ahead of schedule coming back from that Achilles.”
That’s welcome news to Celtics fans, as their team prepares for a Tatum-less season by trading away players and shedding salaries.
Jrue Holiday was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, and Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks. Boston has seen their 2024 championship-winning team dissipate.
But the return of Tatum will spark life back into the franchise.
With Tatum sidelined and Holiday traded, the pressure falls on Celtics’ second star Jaylen Brown to take the mantle as the team’s leader.
He’s played second-fiddle to Tatum since 2017, and played only his rookie season without him. Now he is no longer in his shadow.
Brown has been an unknown quantity, as many second stars are in the NBA. He proved his value by winning Finals MVP in 2024, but that’s easier to do when you’re not the number one focus of the opposing defense.
Now he’s rocketed to the top of opponents’ scouting reports. How will he respond?
Brown recently had surgery for a torn meniscus suffered in March, yet Shelbourne believes he’s ready to be the number one option for Boston.
She added: “I think Jaylen Brown relishes moments like this. He tried to play through that injury all throughout the playoffs, and I think he’ll relish being the ‘1A’ here.”
If he returns to full health, as is expected, it could be the most important season in Brown’s career.
Success would change the way he is viewed around the league and could open a plethora of opportunities in the future.
