“It’s all up to him.”
Joe Mazzulla could be coaching Jayson Tatum later this season. Jim Davis/The Boston Globe
Jayson Tatum is getting closer and closer to a return to the parquet floor.
The Celtics have refused at multiple junctures to map out a definitive timeline for their franchise forward’s return to game action from a ruptured Achilles tendon. But, Tatum seems to be on an accelerated pace just seven months removed from such a devastating setback.
On Tuesday, Tatum posted videos of him playing 1-on-1 at the Auerbach Center — looking pretty spry on the court as he tries to play at some point during the 2025-26 season. Celtics reporters also posted videos on Wednesday of Tatum logging more 1-on-1 reps and post work following the team’s practice session in Allston.
Given the severity of Achilles tears, the extensive rehab process that comes with correcting it, and the timing of Tatum’s injury in the 2025 Eastern Conference Semifinals, many feared that Boston’s top player was expected to miss most, if not all, of the 2025-26 campaign.
But, as the 15-9 Celtics start to find their groove in a wide-open Eastern Conference, Boston might be looking at the very real possibility that Tatum could be sinking shots on the court at TD Garden in just a few months.
While the onus would presumably fall on the Celtics to decide whether or not Tatum will get the green light to play this season, Joe Mazzulla offered up a different take on Wednesday when asked about his top player’s looming decision.
“It’s all up to him,” Mazzulla said of Tatum, per MassLive’s Brian Robb. “At the end of the day, his health is the most important thing, his process is the most important thing. You trust him, trust the team that’s around him — he’s got a great team — and you just kind of go from there. So kind of just all starts about where him and his team think he’s at.
“To me, the only thing I care about is his presence and his leadership, and he’s given that in different ways — on the floor in games, communicating with guys, in film sessions, traveling with us. At the end of the day, he’s on our team. He’s a part of our team. He’s helping us get better, and then everything else just comes down to him and the people around him, and you just trust that.”
As Tatum continues to work his way back into game shape, Jaylen Brown and a revamped Celtics roster will look to secure their sixth win in a row on Thursday when they take on the Bucks.
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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