{"id":848703,"date":"2026-10-01T23:06:21","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T23:06:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/848703\/"},"modified":"2026-10-01T23:06:21","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T23:06:21","slug":"jayson-tatum-enters-10th-year-with-the-celtics-full-of-wonder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/848703\/","title":{"rendered":"Jayson Tatum enters 10th year with the Celtics full of wonder"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 2017, the Celtics<\/a> held training camp in Newport, R.I. The sparkling new Auerbach Center in Brighton was a year away from opening, so the trip was a way to escape the team\u2019s rundown practice facility in the back of a Waltham health club and promote team bonding.<\/p>\n

It was also Jayson Tatum\u2019s rookie year, and the superstar forward can hardly believe a decade has passed since then.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just kind of remember it like it was yesterday,\u201d Tatum said before Thursday\u2019s practice. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to imagine it\u2019s already my 10th one. Just trying to stay present more than anything, because obviously I know how fast it\u2019s going by. Just trying to enjoy it.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the time, Tatum was a shy, greenhorn prospect from Duke<\/a> trying to find his way on a roster that included All-Star talents such as Kyrie Irving and Al Horford.<\/p>\n

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Tatum has experienced so much since then. He is a four-time first-team All-NBA selection, he has his own signature sneaker<\/a> \u2014 along with countless other endorsements \u2014 and he helped the Celtics win the 2024 NBA title.<\/p>\n

\"JaysonJayson Tatum took a duck boat ride through Boston as an NBA champion in 2024.Kayla Bartkowski For The Boston<\/p>\n

But one of his most defining moments was also one he would like to forget. On May 12, 2025, he tore his Achilles in Game 4 of the conference semifinal series against the Knicks, and he wondered then if he would ever be the same.<\/p>\n

He returned last March and showed glimpses of his All-Star form, but there were potholes to navigate. On his first dunk attempt, he was blocked by the rim because he did not have the necessary burst. After long stretches, he was much more winded than usual. And the speed of the game was initially jarring.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was cleared, but mentally, from a conditioning standpoint, I wasn\u2019t myself,\u201d Tatum said. \u201cI think for me when I came back<\/a>, it was great from a mentality standpoint to get over that hurdle of playing and even if I was at 80 percent of myself, knowing that I could still be effective.\u201d<\/p>\n

Throughout, Tatum said those games<\/a> were part of his rehab process. And that process continued this summer, when Tatum was able to attack and truly get his swagger back and push forward without reluctance or limitation.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust going into the offseason knowing that I had the whole summer to get my body right and get the rhythm of playing basketball again, I feel so much more confident from a mental standpoint and physically than I did last March,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s how it should be. It\u2019s a long journey from the injury I had, and I feel great.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, he enters his 10th NBA season with a new appreciation and a new perspective. The 28-year-old will never be an in-your-face presence with his teammates, but he understands he is now, believe it or not, one of the older veterans<\/a>. He is also one of the best basketball players in the world. And he is eager to take on more responsibilities as a leader.<\/p>\n

Tatum has said that there are different ways to lead, and he provided an example this summer, when he organized informal workouts in Los Angeles with teammates. They played basketball and golf. They shared meals and started building the cohesion they believe will help them remain an Eastern Conference<\/a> force, all at Tatum\u2019s urging.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt had to do with the new guys on our team and with the rookies,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd, I don\u2019t know, just trying something new. It\u2019s kind of like the first time we\u2019ve ever done that since I\u2019ve been here. Getting in the gym in the summertime when we normally wouldn\u2019t be around each other and play some golf and just hang out, just kind of build that chemistry.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Celtics enter training camp healthy<\/p>\n

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla answers questions from the media ahead of the season.<\/p>\n

Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com<\/a>. Follow him @adamhimmelsbach<\/a>.<\/p>\n