Jayson Tatum 'Sick' Over Donte DiVincenzo Achilles Injury, Offers to be a Resource

PHILADELPHIA — Jayson Tatum knew it when he saw it. When Donte DiVincenzo fell to the floor early in Saturday night’s game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets, clutching at his calf, Tatum knew what he was looking at, because it was what he went through a year ago. 

“I was definitely sick to my stomach yesterday seeing them go down cause I know exactly how he's feeling,” Tatum said after his Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 4 of their opening-round series. “I know exactly what he has to go through.”

DiVincenzo ruptured his right Achilles tendon, and immediately followed Tatum’s critical first step of undergoing surgery the next day. The team announced DiVincenzo had flown to New York to see the same surgeon Tatum did, Dr. Martin O’Malley. 

“I’m glad he got his surgery today,” Tatum said. “My thoughts and prayers have been with him. Hopefully it went successful, I have no doubt about that.”

The immediate surgery was a critical first step for Tatum, whose recovery has gone so well that it will undoubtedly become the blueprint for DiVincenzo and other athletes who might suffer the same injury. But Tatum understands how the surgery is just a first step for DiVincenzo, and also how devastating the first few days of the process can be. Tatum has been very open about all the self-doubt that went along with the injury, so while he is willing to offer DiVincenzo whatever support he needs, he’s also going to give DiVincenzo some space, first.

“I never want anybody to go through that injury and just what's to come in the rehab process,” Tatum said “I know for a fact I'm going to reach out to him at some point. It just happened yesterday and there’s a lot going on for him. You never want to see anybody injured, especially that one.”

An injury like this bonds people who go through it. The next one to suffer it always looks to the ones who have recovered from it for support. Others in a similar situation, like Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard, are almost certainly in the same headspace as Tatum, willing to share their own stories to support DiVincenzo has he goes through his journey.

Tatum didn’t know DiVincenzo outside of competing against him on the court. But that's about to change in a very big way. 

“I'm gonna be a resource, reach out to him,” Tatum said. “He has me in his corner, whether he's gonna like it or not. I’ll definitely reach out to him soon.”