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Jayson Tatum’s return to an NBA court appears to be coming much sooner than expected.
The Boston Celtics superstar could suit up as early as Friday, making it nearly 10 months since he tore an Achilles tendon against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season, according to ESPN.
The Celtics will face Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks on Friday at TD Garden, and Tatum is expected to be with his teammates for the first time since his injury.
Tatum was officially listed as questionable on the Celtics’ injury report.
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Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum applauds from the bench in the second quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at TD Garden on March 4, 2026. (Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe)
Brad Stevens, the Celtics’ president of basketball operations, noted that his star guard won’t be released until he’s definitely ready to play, both physically and mentally.
This is especially the case given that the Celtics don’t need Tatum to rush. They are 41-21, giving them the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
Tatum also indicated he would like to return for a home game.
Boston has seen players step up in Tatum’s absence, including his counterpart Jaylen Brown. Brown shouldered the scoring load, averaging 28.9 points per game with 7.2 rebounds and five assists.
Derrick White added 17.3 points per game, while working at defensive end with 1.2 steals.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum leaves the court after Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Knicks at TD Garden. (Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe)
And the Celtics had Payton Pritchard (16.8 points, 5.3 assists) and Anfernee Simons (14.2 points) helping the team every night.
The 28-year-old Tatum’s return is nothing short of remarkable considering the average Achilles rehab window is 9-12 months, and it’s usually at the end of the stretch.
As Tatum looks to return, he was well aware of how good his team was in his absence. He’s been spotted on the bench cheering on his teammates all season, and he wants to seamlessly return to the rotation.
Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on January 19, 2026 in Detroit. (Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
“I’m just hyper aware of what’s going on. I think that’s where it comes from,” he said, according to NBA.com. “Obviously, I know what I bring to the table and to the team. But I’m also aware that these guys played extremely well.”
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