When Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum ruptured his Achilles during the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the Green Team's trajectory completely shifted. The 2025-26 season quickly went from another potential run at a title to an uncertain time of recovery. And while it's been a bleak offseason for the Celtics, there's at least some optimism surrounding Tatum's rehab process.
Although Tatum has never missed more than 20 games in a single season, he could sit for the entirety of the 2025-26 campaign due to his untimely injury. That doesn't mean the 2024 NBA champion isn't doing everything in his power to return to basketball activities, via the Zolak & Bertrand radio show on 98.5 The Sports Hub.
“The Celtics are very happy with how hard Jayson Tatum has been working at his rehab and his level of focus and intensity in the rehab process,” the radio show hosts relayed after spending time with Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla. “He did not leave town. He's been here the entire time.”
For many athletes, the summer is a time to escape the grind of the season and find warmer weather overseas. However, that reportedly hasn't been the case for Tatum, who's stayed around Boston for the majority of the offseason.
“He's been inside the building at the Celtics facility with their people and their team almost every single day — for months,” host Marc Bertrand reported. “All summer long all he did is take weekend trips away. He did not go away for any extended period of time because he wanted to be back to work on his rehab. He's doing things that nobody asked him to do.”
Tatum traveled to California to attend the wedding of fellow St. Louis native and NBA All-Star Bradley Beal earlier this summer and was spotted last weekend at a gala in New Jersey alongside other A-listers including rapper Jay-Z and Green Bay Packers linebacker Micah Parsons.
These trips away from Beantown aren't long ventures though, as everybody from Bertrand to Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens has stated that Tatum is constantly at the Celtics practice facility.
Brad Stevens said Jayson Tatum has been at the facility almost daily and that Jaylen Brown has also been around a lot:
“We’ve seen both of those guys very frequently.” pic.twitter.com/Gygis6J2ff
— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) June 26, 2025
All of this optimism surrounding Tatum's recovery doesn't mean Celtics fans should expect him on the court in the coming months. An Achilles injury is the most serious health issue the 27-year-old has dealt with in his basketball career, and it's one of the most grueling rehabs in all of sports.
But, if there's one thing the Boston faithful can count on, it's that Tatum is taking every step of this healing process seriously because nobody wants to be back in action more than him.
