The Boston Celtics were dealt a devastating blow this week when it was announced that Jayson Tatum had suffered a right Achilles injury that will keep him off the floor for a very long time.
Some fans are worried that Tatum may never be the same, even after a lengthy rehabilitation.
But writing for ESPN, Kevin Pelton attempted to give those fans some good news.
“Typically, multiskilled wings have performed the best coming back from Achilles injuries. Beyond Durant, that group includes Thompson and Wesley Matthews, who was back on the court less than eight months after his injury in 2015 and continued to play in the NBA through age 37,” Pelton wrote. “There’s no guarantee Tatum will join that group, rather than join more cautionary examples like DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall. But there’s also no reason to consider an Achilles rupture the end of Tatum’s ability to play at a high level.”
Most estimates say that Tatum will miss all of the 2025-26 season.
That is because most NBA players who suffer a similar injury are gone for about 10.5 months, meaning Tatum could return to Boston for next year’s postseason, but nothing is guaranteed.
Sadly, some stars are never able to reach the heights they once played at.
The league is filled with players who have been taken down like this, never to be at 100 percent ever again.
The Celtics are hoping that isn’t the case with Tatum.
He has several things going in his favor, such as his youthfulness.
He could certainly come back and play like he always has.
But fans need to keep in mind all possibilities, and they should be prepared for a long absence and perhaps Tatum never looking the same.
Right now, nothing is certain, and no one knows anything for sure.
The next few months will be filled with a ton of speculation and worry.
