“I’m getting better every day, but I’m not able to play yet,” Jayson Tatum told SB Nation on Tuesday. The battle to come back in the Boston Celtics‘ #0 has been nothing but a test of patience. It’s been six months since Tatum left the NBA floor with tears in his eyes and a ruptured ACL. If Kobe Bryant could return in 9 months at 36, why can’t JT at 27? Well, that seems like the ultimate motive of the St. Louis native.

Thus, the truth of the matter remains, Jayson Tatum’s fire still burns bright even from the sidelines. Though a return to the floor is distant, his presence never faded. He travels, he shows up, he supports. Besides, everyone wants to know if  Tatum will return this season. Despite the cautions from former players, he made it clear that coming back remains his goal.

“I mean, yeah. I’ve been working my butt off for the last 24 weeks now, just trying to get healthy and trying to get 100%. It’s something that motivates me. Every day I go to rehab and work out, and I’m on the court. It’s something that I can try to get to. It feels like a goal for myself and challenges me every day,” he told Noa Dalzell.

Walking on his idol’s path, Tatum is seemingly preparing to give it all for the Cs this season itself. But for now, he’s just steps away from the team huddle, collecting well-wishes from rivals and officials at the sideline. “It is my first time starting the season and not being out there. It’s tough. I love to play. I love to compete, and not being able to be out there with the team is already tough enough,” he added.

“But I think just still traveling and being with them during meetings and the game and practice and shootaround, still trying to feel as much a part of the team as I can, really helps my mental out a lot”. Tatum’s injury had impacted him emotionally, as he previously mentioned in one of the interviews with Sports Illustrated. But moving ahead, he came out of the “dark place” it left him in.

Moreover, JT has been shocking the basketball fans with his antics on the floor recently. Dunking during practice? On a serious note, that might feel risky to many, including Wyc Grousbeck, who doesn’t plan on bringing JT back to the floor in the 2025-26 NBA Season. But, well, the superstar is ready to defy all odds!

Wyc Grousbeck gives his verdict on Jayson Tatum’s return timeline

In a conversation with WEEI, Grousbeck confirmed that Jason Tatum will remain sidelined for the rest of the season. “We’re not going to ever ask Tatum to come back. We’re assuming he’s not coming back & we’re not even having discussions about it,” Grousbeck said. “If at the end, at some point, he’s going to be ready to come back. Whenever that is, we’ll get five doctors’ opinions, we’ll ask him how he feels, & then we’ll all decide jointly, let’s do this. Whatever month that is, whenever that is, but there’s no discussion in the meantime.”

At the same time, experts believe there is no harm in Tatum continuing to travel with the team, calling it vital for his rhythm and mindset. They also agree that a comeback later this season carries no major risk if he’s fully healed in body and mind. Yet, as Dr. Lou Soslowsky explained, Tatum’s rare mix of strong health and swift surgery makes predicting a standard recovery timeline nearly impossible, adding another layer to his journey.

The legend is only reloading. Jayson Tatum may be off the court, but the story is far from over. Every rehab session, every sideline smile, every quiet moment screams of a man writing his own comeback story. The doctors can wait, the front office can decide, but destiny listens to no timeline. When Tatum rises again, it won’t just be a return; it will be a reckoning like never before.