Sep 29, 2025; Boston, MA, USA;Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) talks with reporters during media day at the Auerbach Center. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images David Butler II-Imagn Images

Jayson Tatum Keeps Fingers Crossed After Jordan Brand's Message to NBA

Originally posted on Fastbreak on SI | By Justin Grasso | Last updated Sep 29, 2025 6:02 PM ET

Jayson Tatum’s recent media tour has added a lot of league-wide excitement for his eventual return from injury.

The Jordan Brand did its part with the promotion of the Tatum 4s, sending a note to a Boston-based media member with a message that read: Jayson Tatum will never be the same—and that should terrify you.”

Tatum had one simple response to it. He threw up a fingers-crossed emoji.

https://t.co/r14DzjQKwa
— Jayson Tatum (@jaytatum0) September 28, 2025

The Celtics’ injured star forward has a long way to go in his recovery. Most players who rupture their Achilles tend to take a season off. Tatum has made it clear that it hasn’t been decided just yet.

There is no clear recovery timeline for the Celtics’ star, but he doesn’t want to rule out anything at this time. Even in the event that Tatum doesn’t return as early as this upcoming season, the message still speaks volumes. The Celtics star’s camp believes he’s coming back better than ever.

Before going down with his injury, Tatum has consistently been one of the best players in the game. Throughout the 2024-2025 NBA season, Tatum averaged 26.8 points while shooting 45 percent from the field and 34 percent from three.

Outside of his scoring, Tatum has dished out 6.0 assists per game and came down with 8.7 rebounds per game. He appeared in 72 total games before the Celtics reached the playoffs.

One year after winning the NBA Championship, the Celtics came up short in the second round. Tatum’s playoff run would last eight games. He averaged 28.1 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 5.4 assists.

The 2025-2026 NBA season will offer the Eastern Conference a rare look at a Boston team without Tatum consistently on the court. Over the past four seasons, Tatum hasn’t played in fewer than 72 games. Consistently being available for his team, Tatum helped the Celtics maintain their status as one of the biggest threats in the East.

With Jaylen Brown still in the mix, the Celtics have an All-Star at the top of the pecking order still. Even after making major financial decisions, the Celtics view themselves as playoff contenders going into the 2025-2026 campaign.

Sink or swim this year, the Celtics know they are getting a motivated Tatum back on the court soon enough. The veteran forward and his promo team are letting the NBA know that there won't be any setbacks when the return is here.