Boston Celtics fans are patiently waiting for Jayson Tatum’s return to the court. The four-time All-NBA forward is currently recovering from a torn Achilles tendon. He suffered the injury during the Celtics’ Eastern Conference Semifinals loss to the New York Knicks last season. Since the 2025-26 season began, sporadic video footage of Tatum’s on-court work has made its way around social media. On Tuesday, Dec. 2, a new video surfaced, and this time Tatum looked like he was getting back to his old self. The footage in question shows the superstar forward walking through some one-on-one action. The interesting part of the video is how comfortable Tatum looks. During the walkthrough, he showcased some important aspects of his recovery including bursts of pace, changes of pace, hard stops on either foot and his shooting mechanics. While he’s still working at quarter speed, there is clearly some growth compared to what we saw a few weeks ago. Story continues below advertisement Despite the encouraging footage, Tatum is likely months away from a return. Judging by the way the assistant coaches were defending him, he’s not yet cleared for light contact. There are multiple hurdles left for him to clear, and that will include working through scrimmages as his body continues to heal. Nevertheless, it’s looking increasingly likely that Tatum could return to Joe Mazzulla’s rotation before the season is over. And while he will need months to get back to his best, his presence on the court would undoubtedly improve the team’s chances of making the 2026 playoffs. With all that in mind, it’s easy to see why Celtics fans are getting excited with each passing video. Their superstar forward continues to edge closer to a return, and, with him, the hope of contending for another championship draws near. Story continues below advertisement