When Jayson Tatum suffered his torn Achilles injury during the Boston Celtics' playoff run last season, the trajectory of this franchise changed. Executive Brad Stevens completely flipped Joe Mazzulla's roster around in the offseason, and the Celtics are now entering the 2025-26 season stuck in a purgatory-like state where expectations are unknown.
Although Boston still expects to be competitive, they are not the same championship contenders many around the league have feared simply because Tatum is out. However, the Celtics star is definitely ahead of schedule in his Achilles rehab, and a large reason for that is because of the daily support his organization is providing him.
Mazzulla has been right by Tatum's side throughout what has been a long and strenuous offseason for the team's leader during his rehab, making sure that the multi-time All-Star has the support he needs to come back stronger than ever.
“I think it's your responsibility as a coach to be there for your guys. So, whenever I could lift with him, whenever I could be there for treatment, whenever I could rebound for him, I think it was important to do that,” Mazzulla told reporters at Celtics' Media Day on Monday. “I think as a guy who is going through stuff, you have to know you're going through it together. I think that's a piece that's important.”
Every coach in the NBA is different. While almost all of them form strong bonds and relationships with their players, many championship-level coaches tend to go the extra mile when it comes to their off-court bonds with their leaders.
For Mazzulla and Tatum, their relationship has only become stronger from this Achilles setback during the playoffs.
“I was there for the first time he walked. I was there for the first time he ran. I was there for the first shots that he took. I think it's important,” Mazzulla continued. “One of the things in the offseason that I like to do is build different relationships with the guys and do different things.
“Each guy has their own way about how you go about doing that, and this summer, that was the way to go about building that relationship with him.”
Tatum has not been shy about showing off his progress this offseason.
The Celtics star forward has continued to hint that he is ahead of schedule in his recovery process, and recent videos of him working out and running in the team's practice facility have many wondering if he will return at some point during the 2025-26 season.
On Monday at Celtics Media Day, Tatum spoke about his rehab process and where he finds himself entering the new season.
“I’m in a really good spot,” Tatum told reporters. “It’ll be five months tomorrow, so how has it been? It's been a long journey.
“Getting back on the court and being able to participate in a basketball workout was one of the more bright spots in this journey. It just felt really good to be on the court and dribbling the basketball, going through a workout, feeling like a basketball player again.”
Boston has not revealed a timeline for Tatum's recovery and whether he will return late in the 2025-26 season. Mazzulla and the Celtics will begin the new year without Tatum on the court against the Philadelphia 76ers on October 22.
