Jayson Tatum is playing basketball again, and it looks like he’s getting close to a return, even wants to say he’s not sure if he will or not. 

The noncommittal part of it seems to be more of a company line than Tatum’s insecurity about where he is in the rehab. In a world of actions speaking louder than words, Tatum and the team’s actions are loudly announcing a plan to come back. 

NBA rules requires players who are planning to return to action to speak to the media within two days of practicing. Notably, Tatum held a media availability the day after after his scrimmage. Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, who was ruled out for the season early in the process, recently discussed scrimmaging on a podcast, but didn’t speak to the media.

So the signs are there. There is the possibility that he’ll not be himself during scrimmages and that will set him back, but there’s a pretty clear sign that that’s unlikely, courtesy of Ron Harper Jr. 

Harper Jr. participated in the Rising Stars game Friday night and will be in the Shooting Stars competition with his father and brother Saturday night. He also was one of the players involved in Tatum’s scrimmage with the Maine Celtics. 

Making progress 💪 pic.twitter.com/TMLjpl2FZv

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 10, 2026

In an interview on Sirius XM, Harper Jr. told Justin Termine that Tatum looked good, saying, “He looked like Jayson Tatum, I’ll say that much.” 

That’s where Harper drew the line. It’s almost as if he was possessed by Brad Stevens for the rest of the quote: 

“We’re really excited for the potential of him coming back. We don’t know for sure if or not he’s going to come back, we’re just really excited to see him progress during his rehab.” 

Jayson Tatum looked like Jayson Tatum. Ron Harper Jr explains the excitement in the Celtics locker room following Jayson Tatum’s G-League practice. Can the Boston Celtics win it all with Tatum back in the lineup?

Click the link for NBA All-Star coverage – https://t.co/j3RPgmmeWM pic.twitter.com/rP6ED5DeYQ

— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) February 13, 2026

The reconditioning is the final step before coming back. At this point, the Achilles tendon is healed, and Tatum just has to get his body back to being able to handle the rigors of NBA basketball.

“I’m feeling good. It was good to be a part of practice yesterday with the Maine G League guys,” Tatum told reporters at the team’s practice facility on February 10. “Today is 39 weeks, so it’s been a long journey. And it’s just like the progression of rehab. It was the next step. Doesn’t mean that I’m coming back or I’m not. It’s just following the plan. So it’s just another step.”

📸 Post-practice pic yesterday at the Auerbach Center. pic.twitter.com/T5dpF70VEi

— Maine Celtics (@MaineCeltics) February 10, 2026

Related: Jayson Tatum Explains Why He’s Been on the Boston Celtics Bench During His Injury Rehab

There will be an adjustment whenever Tatum comes back, but according to recent reports, he’s not coming back until he’s maxed out what he can be in this phase of his rehab. His return to Celtics games will still be part of the rehab process until his minutes restrictions are lifted, which means there will some things to figure out in the short term. 

“It might look different,” Tatum said. “I haven’t played with these guys or with this group, but lot of high IQ guys out there., I like to consider myself one of those types of players. So if that did present itself, and if I did come back, we professionals will figure it out.”