“Mom, I might be done. I don’t know if I’ll be able to overcome this or if I’m up for this challenge.” Making a comeback from his Achilles tear was not just a physical battle. It took a toll on the Celtics superstar, Jayson Tatum, and he even questioned everything while talking to his support system, his mother. It’s less than 20 weeks since the dreaded injury on the hardwood, and the signs of recovery surprised everyone. However, there is still some skepticism about his involvement this year.

For context, Achilles’ tear of the kind Tatum suffered typically takes 9-12 months of rehabilitation. The 6x All-Star uploaded a rare video on his YouTube channel, showcasing his recovery and a positive message for the fans. In the video, the 27-year-old forward is seen running up and down the court and even shooting buckets just 19 weeks after tearing his Achilles tendon. In the video, he was also in the gym deadlifting weights, proving he is an ‘Anomaly’.

As stated before, not everyone takes the workout videos as proof of recovery. “Even his media circuit appearance, like going on first take, doing this media, and talking about his recovery? I have seen some of the workout videos, and those are always the things, and it’s a bit different during when a guy is rehabbing. I’m always going to take workout videos with a grain of salt.” On Locked on NBA, Danny Cunningham explained why he had his doubts. He compared the situation with Ben Simmons and his recovery.

Let’s add context here that the former 76ers star has suffered a back injury and needed surgery three times. So, Jayson Tatum is not in the same boat as Simmons. But as Cunningham implied, game fitness is entirely different than working out alone. “I’m like, ‘Okay, let’s let’s actually like see you do it in an NBA setting as opposed to doing it at Lifetime Fitness because you’re an NBA player. You should be able to do that at Lifetime Fitness, but doing it in a game is a very different story.’ It’s a little bit different with a guy coming back from injury, but I also think that he is trending in the right direction.”

Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard were the players who also suffered Achilles injuries during the playoffs. So far, we haven’t seen those two guards showcasing Tatum’s recovery pace. No doubt it’s a sign of good luck. Cunningham concluded his point by raising a valid question. “Now, should he play this year? That is one of the things that maybe we hear about from the Celtics leadership on Monday.”

Boston’s roster has shifted dramatically in his absence, with veterans no longer in the mix, signaling that this may be a potential gap year for the team while the 27-year-old takes time off to recover to full strength.

Jayson Tatum has plans to come back sooner than expected

Many predicted that the Missouri native wouldn’t come back at all this season. Even the doctors expressed shock at the recovery rate. His surgeon, Dr. Martin J. O’Malley, said, “I don’t think I’ve seen a person’s calf look as strong as his.” Further, it is added that there is usually a loss of strength in calf muscles, but that isn’t the case for the Celtics superstar. Jayson Tatum knows recovery is paramount, and there is no pressure on him to return soon. But JT has a goal in mind.

 “Like, [day to day] how I’ve approached this process, is like, man, the most important thing is making a full recovery. I’m not saying that I’m not playing this season. I’m not taking that off the table.” His focus on progress shows that a return before next season isn’t unlikely if rehab continues at this rate. The rehab has been solid ever since he got hurt. Previously, it was reported that the Celtics forward would hardly take any time off during the week. When he had to leave for commitments, the 27-year-old returned to the gym on Monday.

That’s the attention to detail and being obsessed with the sport. Despite being out, he wants Beantown to cheer the loudest. “For the love of the game, obviously, and then for the fans that, you know, support me and the team.” Jaylen Brown and Derrick White will be leading next, and expect last year’s 6th MOTY, Payton Pritchard, to earn some valuable minutes as a starter.