Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum is on the road to recovery following a brutal injury during the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
The Boston Celtics failed to defend their NBA Championship during the 2025 NBA Playoffs as they were handed a 4-2 Eastern Conference semifinals defeat by the New York Knicks.
Aside from that, the Celtics also lost Jayson Tatum due to a torn Achilles tendon injury during Game 4 of the series.
While Tatum is currently recovering from the brutal injury, the 6x NBA All-Star is still positively impacting his teammates.
Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty ImagesJordan Walsh says Jayson Tatum is a ‘silent leader’
With Tatum supposedly missing the majority of the 2025-26 NBA season, the Celtics have blown up their championship core.
As a result, most expect the Celtics to struggle during the regular season. Even with Tatum sidelined, he’s passively impacting the mood in the C’s gym, per Jordan Walsh.
“The energy in the gym changes when he walks through. He’s not, he’s not the most vocal guy, he’s more of a silent leader,” Walsh told NBC Sports Boston.
He added: “Him and JB [Jaylen Brown] are more silent leaders. So when they step in the gym, you could feel the energy shift. You can feel the attention and go on them.”
It was previously reported that Tatum is ahead of his recovery schedule. But what does Walsh think of JT’s recovery?
Jordan Walsh declares ‘big difference’ in Jayson Tatum
With doubts looming over Jaylen Brown’s leadership in Tatum’s absence, the sooner the 27-year-old returns, the better it will be for the Celtics.
Keeping that in mind, Walsh shared his unfiltered take on how Tatum has recovered since suffering the gruesome injury in the playoffs.
“I’ve seen him from when he messed up his Achilles to now, and it’s a big difference. He’s moving around way better, so he’s progressing well,” Walsh stated.
Walsh further added: “I’m definitely happy to see him getting back healthy, but to see him in the gym, definitely sets a precedent for everybody else.
“… If a guy’s hurt trying to get back, and then you can do the same thing when you’re perfectly healthy, you should be doing the same thing.”
The Celtics were the second seed in the East last season with a 61-21 record. It will be interesting to see where the 18-time NBA champions land in the conference next season.