It has been less than five months since Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles, but the Boston Celtics star appears to be making excellent progress with his rehab.
Tatum shared a video on social media Thursday that showed him dunking a basketball. The six-time All-Star was not exactly showcasing explosion, as he started from a stationary position under the hoop and jumped straight into the air.
Still, the video was a welcome sight for Celtics fans.
Must be the shoes 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/SQsxrWDAkX
— Jayson Tatum (@jaytatum0) October 9, 2025
Achilles tears are usually 10-12 month injuries, so there is no guarantee that Tatum will be cleared to play at any point during the 2025-26 season. There has been plenty of optimism surrounding his rehab, however.
Not long before Tatum shared the dunking video, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on “The Pat McAfee Show” that the 27-year-old “has a goal in mind that he wants to play this season.” Charania said the Celtics are “cautiously optimistic” that Tatum will return this season.
"The Celtics haven't ruled out Jayson Tatum for the season and they're cautiously optimistic..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 9, 2025
He has a goal in mind that he wants to play this season and we'll see if he gets there" @ShamsCharania #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/nfVq9tHOaB
Tatum suffered the Achilles rupture during Boston’s second-round playoff loss to the New York Knicks. The Celtics view him as their franchise cornerstone, so they would have to be certain there is no risk of a setback before they would clear Tatum to return. As of now, it sounds realistic for that to happen at some point in the next six or so months.
