The Boston Celtics and Jayson Tatum are both facing adversity following their Eastern Conference semifinals loss to the New York Knicks.
During the series, Tatum suffered a ruptured Achilles and is likely to miss most, if not all, of the 2025-26 campaign. Amid looming financial constraints due to the second apron, Boston opted to retool its roster and shed salary this offseason following the superstar forward’s injury.
With a new-look roster and Jaylen Brown now the No. 1 option in Boston, the Celtics aim to exceed expectations as Tatum works toward returning. The 27-year-old has been working tirelessly to get back on the court, and it isn’t entirely out of the question that he could return for a playoff run.
MORE: Celtics’ Jayson Tatum opens up about Achilles injury recovery
Jayson Tatum motivated to return to full strength
Injuries of this magnitude have derailed careers in the past, but the six-time All-Star isn’t letting that affect his mindset. In a recent interview with Eileen Finan of People, Tatum revealed how his sons have kept him motivated through a grueling rehab process.
“What kind of a life lesson is that if I was like, ‘This might be too much, I’ll just call it quits’?” he told People. “As a parent, you want your kids to be proud of you, I want them to look at me like, ‘He showed me what it’s like to fight through adversity. I want my kids to see that Dad didn’t give up.’”
Tatum has two sons, seven-year-old Deuce and 14-month-old Dylan, both of whom have inspired Tatum to keep pushing. He’s on a mission to show his kids the power of hard work, which may end up accelerating his recovery.
The Celtics aren’t expected to rush him back, though Tatum hasn’t ruled out a potential return this season. Regardless, he continues to fight toward getting back on the court for Boston.
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