Jayson Tatum not ruling out return during upcoming season

The biggest topic of conversation surrounding the Boston Celtics this season won’t necessarily be the play on the court.

Instead, much of the attention will be on when Jayson Tatum will return to the parquet.

Well, it may not be as long as originally anticipated, as the Celtics superstar appeared on “TODAY with Jenna & Friends” to discuss how his rehab process is going. 

“I’m feeling better than I did yesterday,” Tatum said. “It’s been a long, long journey. I tell people all the time, ‘I’m getting there.’” 

Tatum also dove into the hard recovery process he went through over the summer, even having to move in with his mom, Brandy Cole.

“Ironically, it was kind of like being in high school again,” Tatum said. “I wasn’t able to go up steps, and in my house, I don’t have a bedroom on the first floor. I lived with my mom for 10 weeks.”

Tuesday marks 19 weeks since the 2024 NBA champion underwent surgery to repair his right Achilles tendon, and the Celtics tip off training camp starting next Monday, Sept. 29. Tatum’s timeline to return is sure to be a popular talking point. 

For Tatum, he’s not ruling out returning to the team at some point this season. 

“That is the million-dollar question,” Tatum said. “I think for me and my team, the doctor, the organization, the most important thing is making a full recovery. Being back 100%, not rushing it. But I haven’t said I’m not playing this season. 

“I have a goal in my mind.”

It's not just Tatum that is impressed with his recovery process so far, either. His orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Martin O'Malley, believes the superstar can be his old self when he eventually returns.

"I don't think I've seen a person's calf look as strong as his," O'Malley told PEOPLE. "At six or eight weeks he was doing double heel rises. He worked his calf so hard that the side effect of loss of strength, I don't think he's going to have any."

Even though Tatum will be out for the majority of the 2024-25 season, still expect to see the four time All-NBA First Team selection on the sidelines and traveling with the team throughout the campaign.

"I'm going to be at practices and go to games and travel," Tatum explained to PEOPLE. "As frustrating as it'll be to not be able to play, feeling like I'm a part of the team will help me out."

From what Tatum and O'Malley have said, it does sound like he could potentially return later in the season, particularly if Boston is gearing up for a postseason run. 

It wouldn’t be shocking to see the forward return to some form of basketball activities sometime this winter. 

“I’m not working out, rehabbing six days a week for no reason,” Tatum said.