Rehabilitating his leg, Jayson Tatum said he wants to get back to who he was before.
Boston Celtics’ star player addressed how his physical therapy is going in a video posted to social media by the NBA Instagram account. Posted on Aug. 20, he suffered his a rupture to his Achilles tendon over three months ago during the second round of the NBA Playoffs.
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“It’s tedious, man,” Tatum said. “It’s six days a week. It’s starting to get a little bit better, I’m out the boot now.”
The man Celtics fans call “JT” emphasized the importance of resilience in the face of adversity, calling the first six weeks of rehabilitating his injury the most arduous experience of his life.
“Better days ahead, but just trying to make it one day at a time,” Tatum said.
The post showed Tatum walking while in a pool and lifting weights, continuing his athletic training while training himself to put weight on the injured leg.
Here’s what you need to know about the small forward’s chances of playing this coming season.
Feb 27, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) goes in for a dunk as Philadelphia 76ers forward Darius Bazley (25) and guard Ricky Council IV (16) look on during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Will Jayson Tatum be out next season
While Tatum is working hard to rehabilitate his leg, his future is still up in the air.
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NBC Boston Chris Forsberg said this past July that a pool walk is a long way away from being playoff ready.
Tatum’s likelihood of playing in the rest of the postseason or in the 2025 – 2026 regular season is doubtful, ESPN reporting said.
Looking back on basketball’s recent history, Kevin Durant tore his Achilles tendon during the 2019 NBA Finals, and he ended up taking the 2019 – 2020 series off to rehabilitate his injury.
The Mayo Clinic said that most people are able to go back to their previous level of physical activity within four to six months of recovery, although problems can continue for up to a year.
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There is no available timetable for Tatum’s return to regular season or postseason action.
Rin Velasco is a trending reporter. She can be reached at rvelasco@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Will Celtics star Jayson Tatum play this season? See injury update