Jayson Tatum injury update: Celtics star already able to dunk just months after tearing Achilles
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum has a long road ahead as he continues to recover from an Achilles injury, but early returns are promising. Tatum showed his progress Thursday, dunking the ball just months removed from Achilles surgery.
Tatum posted a video of the feat on X. For the caption, Tatum gave all the credit to his shoes.
It wasn’t the most breathtaking dunk fans have seen from Tatum, but it was impressive nonetheless.
Advertisement
Tatum is just five months away from undergoing surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon. Tatum was injured during the final minutes of the team’s Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Without Tatum, the Celtics lost the series in six games.
Despite this injury, Tatum has not ruled out a return during the 2025-26 NBA season. If he can return to the field this season, that would be quite an accomplishment. The recovery process after an Achilles tendon injury is long and arduous. Even if Tatum feels good physically later in the season, there is no guarantee he will immediately return to the field at 100%.
If that’s the case, Tatum seemed to hint that he would take the cautious route. When speaking about his return in September, Tatum said he would prioritize a full recovery over returning sooner.
“The most important thing is a full recovery,” he said. “And I’m not rushing at all.
When healthy, Tatum is one of the best players in the NBA. After acclimating to the pros during his first two seasons, Tatum took a big step forward in year three. Since then, he has averaged 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. He has made the All-NBA team five times during that span and is a six-time All-Star.
Advertisement
The Celtics are in a transition year with Tatum out to start the season. Knowing Tatum would miss time, the Celtics focused on reducing his future salary during the offseason. Three entries were shipped during the process. With Boston still employing Derrick White and Jaylen Brown, the Celtics are projected to be under .500 this season.
If that happens, Tatum has no reason to push himself to return. If the Celtics have little to play for down the stretch, Tatum will be better served waiting until the 2026-27 NBA season to return to the court.
But if things go better than expected and the Celtics find themselves in a surprising situation heading into the playoffs, there’s at least a small possibility that their best player will be back just in time for another deep playoff run.
Advertisement
It may be unlikely, but Tatum is clearly already making great strides in his recovery.
