Celtics' Jayson Tatum Says Achilles Injury Recovery 'Starting to Get a Little Easier'
Jayson Tatum has a long road to recovery ahead of him after suffering a torn Achilles in the second round of the NBA playoffs, but the Boston Celtics star shared an encouraging update on Saturday.
"Day 25... days starting to get a little easier," he wrote on social media.
Tatum had another All-NBA season in 2024-25, posting 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and six assists per game. He led the Celtics to a 61-21 record and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference before downing the Orlando Magic in the first round.
Unfortunately, Boston's title hopes to a big hit in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks when Tatum suffered a torn Achilles. The Celtics won Game 5 but fell to the Knicks in Game 6 without Tatum.
Tatum underwent surgery for the injury on May 13. The return timeline for a torn Achilles varies, but Tatum's father told ESPN's Marc J. Spears in May that he expected him to be back on the court in eight to nine months.
Getting back on the court is one thing, but a fierce competitor like Tatum will also want to return to the high level he was playing at before the injury. A torn Achilles can often derail a player's career, but Tatum is reportedly seeking advice from a star who bounced back from the injury well.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported in May that Tatum planned to consult Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant about the rehab process. Durant suffered a torn Achilles in the 2019 NBA Finals, but managed to bounce back and return to All-NBA form afterward.
The good news for Tatum is that he's still just 27 years old and should be able to recover relatively fast. Being without him for most of the year will be tough for Boston, but Tatum will look to be looking to have a big season once he returns.
