Jayson Tatum Expresses Confidence in Full Achilles Recovery, Shares Rehab Insights with Fellow NBA Players
boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum provided a promising update on his Achilles tendon rehabilitation, stating he feels “vrey, very confident” teh injury won’t recur. Tatum shared his progress in an exclusive interview with Poker Strategy reporter DJ Siddiqi, emphasizing the importance of strength benchmarks over a fixed timeline for recovery.
The 2025 NBA season looms, with the Celtics aiming for another deep playoff run-potentially facing the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Tatum’s Achilles tear, sustained during the playoffs, cast a shadow over those aspirations. However, his optimistic outlook and detailed account of his rehab process offer a significant boost to Boston’s championship hopes and provide valuable insight for other players navigating similar injuries. Tatum explained, “The exact number, I know the number is low,” referring to the odds of reinjury. “Everybody thinks it’s a time-based recovery…The most important thing is all these tests of your strength, the strength in your calf, the strength in your leg.”
Tatum detailed the rigorous process of regaining strength, noting that achieving equal or greater strength in the injured leg compared to the healthy one is paramount. ”For some guys, that takes six, nine, 12 months,” he said. “Everybody’s just different. But the surgery that I got, the things that we’ve been doing, I feel very, very confident in that surgical site. We won’t have that problem again.”
The duke alum also revealed he’s been actively communicating with other NBA players recovering from Achilles injuries, including Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers, and Dejounte Murray of the New Orleans Pelicans. He specifically sought guidance from Lillard and Murray, who were further along in their respective rehab journeys. “We’re all in the same boat,” Tatum said. “I just ask a lot of questions, especially with Dame and Dejounte, those guys were ahead of me.” Murray tore his Achilles in January, placing him slightly ahead in the recovery timeline.
