Boston Celtics
“I’m sure if he can get out there no matter what the team’s record is, no matter what, he’s going to get out there to play.”
Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant knows what Jayson Tatum is going through these days.
While the 37-year-old forward is once again holding court as one of the league’s top scoring threats, Durant missed more than a full season earlier in his career after rupturing his Achilles tendon during the 2019 NBA Finals.
Despite missing over 18 months of action while on the mend from such a severe injury, Durant hasn’t missed a step since returning to the court during the 2020-21 campaign — averaging 36.2 minutes, 27.8 points, and 6.7 rebounds per game since that season-ending setback.
Durant might represent the current gold standard in terms of an NBA star bouncing back from such a traumatic injury.
But the future Hall of Famer acknowledged after Saturday’s win over the Celtics that Tatum is already ahead of his timeline when it comes to an arduous rehab back from an Achilles tear — especially when it comes to dunking basketballs just six months after his injury.
“I wouldn’t say I felt that confident to dunk the ball,” Durant told MassLive’s Brian Robb of his recovery after six months. “I don’t remember if I was that far along in my journey, but medicine has advanced so much since I had Achilles. Jayson looks like he’s just killing the rehab and he looks great.
“You don’t see a limp, For somebody who just had an Achilles surgery in the playoffs, he looks amazing. Hopefully, continue to progress and he gets better and get back on the court soon. The game misses him, the NBA misses him, just, you know, all-world talent, man, so looking forward to have him back on the floor.”
Tatum has left the door open for a potential return later this season, which would stand as a drastic shift in expectations from the Celtics forward’s expected recovery timeline.
Durant — who played alongside Tatum during Team USA’s gold-medal runs in the 2020 and 2024 Olympics — wouldn’t be surprised if Tatum follows through on his hopes of returning at some point during the 2025-26 season.
“I think it’s feasible, but I think, it’s good to have that option on the table to know that he can come back, but it’s such a long ways away from now,” Durant said. “I just feel like he’s just taking it day by day and see what happens with the team, see what happens with his body, make a decision at a later date.
“It’s cool to keep it open, I guess, to play, and he just loves to play, man. He’s a gamer. I’m sure if he can get out there no matter what the team’s record is, no matter what, he’s going to get out there to play, so we all can’t wait to see him out there again.”
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