Oct 3, 2025; Durham, NC, USA: Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum helps coach alongside Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer during the Countdown to Craziness at the Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Celtics Coach Sends Message on Jayson Tatum Comeback

Originally posted on Boston Celtics on SI
By Alex Kirschenbaum | Last updated Oct 7, 2025 11:00 AM ET

A Boston Celtics assistant coach, a former three-time champ and an All-Star point guard in his day, has issued a strong missive about a potential Jayson Tatum return to the floor this season.

The 6-foot-8 Duke product, 27, ruptured his Achilles tendon during a second-round playoff series defeat to the New York Knicks this past spring. He was one of three Eastern Conference All-Stars to suffer that particular affliction during the postseason, along with Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton and then-Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard.

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During an interview on Boston's 98.5 FM The Sports Hub last week, Celtics assistant coach Sam Cassell admitted that, while he's unsure of exactly when Tatum will be back and if he's targeting 2025-26 at all, he has been impressed by the expedience of Tatum's recovery — and the tenacity of his efforts.

"He's coming," Cassell said. "Everybody's counting him out. I don't know his plan for returning this season, but I like what I see so far. He's not on crutches, he's not hopping around. He's active. Jayson Tatum, he heals fast. He's not a guy who gets hurt and sits down. He may miss a day or two, but he doesn't like missing games.”

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To wit, Tatum had never missed more than eight games in a given regular season prior to last year — when he missed a still-minor 10 games. All his playoff and Olympic mileage seems to have worn him down, however.

Just a hair fewer than five months after going under the knife to address the heel injury, Tatum released video footage of himself putting up shots.

The Celtics' best player may not want 2025-26 to be a "gap season," but Boston brass might be happy to sneakily slip into the lottery, ahead of what's expected to be a stacked 2026 NBA Draft next summer.

Tatum's Typically Excellent 2024-25 Season

Last year on the 61-21 Celtics, Tatum averaged 26.8 points on .452/.343/.814 shooting splits, 8.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.5 blocks per — while submitting stellar perimeter defense on the other end of the floor. He finished fourth in MVP voting, made his fourth straight All-NBA First Team, and finished 10th in Clutch Player of the Year voting.

For however long Tatum does sit, Boston will miss his size and ballhandling. The team's second-best player, wing Jaylen Brown, will now assume more touches. That could prove difficult, as the 6-foot-6 Berkeley product is an infamously sub-par dribbler (for an NBA player, that is).