Celtics star Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles in the semifinals game against the New York Knicks on May 12th, 2025. It is being reported that he is coming back in early January, and he has been practicing for the past few months. Many spectators question his return.
For most an Achilles tear takes a year for someone to recover from if they are playing sports. It has taken Jayson Tatum less than eight months. He has been practicing in full since the beginning of November. He is still at a very high risk for retearing his Achilles, but keeps practicing in hopes of getting back on the court as soon as possible.
When interviewing Anatomy, Psychology and Sports Medicine teacher, Mr. Lovett, he said, “It is hard to tell [if he’ll be ready] … The interesting thing about his injury is that he got surgery within 24 hours, they could’ve done some special prosthetics, or something to help with a faster recovery. I’ve seen people with Achilles tears that have come back in six months, but since basketball is so explosive it puts so much stress on the Achilles already, so it’s hard to tell. Internally you have no idea what could be going on with an Achilles, and there is a mental struggle that comes with it too. While I think they’re not rushing him because of their investment, I just hope he’ll come back okay.”
While the Celtics team and his personal trainers would not push him, Tatum is the type of player to push himself. He wants to get back to playing and to be at the top of the league again. He has a very competitive personality. Coming back off of the NBA championship two seasons ago then losing last season because of his injury, he wants to win again under any circumstances.
The dangers that follow a rushed recovery process are astronomical. Specifically with Achilles tears, if he retears it he is likely to never be able to play basketball again. Many NBA players even retire after the first tear like former Celtics player Isaiah Thomas. Jayson Tatum was at his peak ability to play right before his injury, and if he returns too quickly this could be his last season. If he waits he will likely have many seasons to come.
When asked about the injury, Pentucket athletic trainer Kate Castiglione said, “His surgery helped hugely. His return is on the earlier side. But because of the care he got, and the type of person he is, it’s more realistic because he’s getting treatment around two to three times a day instead of two to three times a week. Since he’s an athlete and not a regular person it’s on the earlier side, but it is still normal if he gets restrictions on minutes.”
Restrictions on minutes are very important for her argument. If he comes back in full swing it would be super dangerous, but if he gets restrictions on how he plays and how long he plays he would probably benefit from the movement.
If Tatum continues to receive the constant treatment that he needs, he should be good to go, but it may still be early. It depends on when he gets the all clear from the trainers and coaches, not his own mind.
Overall, spectators are worried about Jayson Tatum’s return. Since he is such a good athlete with a massive amount of care he should be fine. Although, if he were to come back late January early February it would be more beneficial for his overall health. Fans will have to see how the 2025-2026 season turns out for this Celtics star.
