An anonymous Eastern Conference assistant coach recently drew a direct line between Jayson Tatum’s current situation and one of the most famous midseason returns in NBA history. Speaking with ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, the coach likened the Celtics forward’s rehab from a torn Achilles to Michael Jordan’s “No. 45” campaign in 1995, when Jordan came back from baseball retirement and needed time to rediscover his rhythm.
“He’s working his way back into shape midseason, getting up to speed, and we’ll see if he can,” the coach told Bontemps, per Bleacher Report's Doric Sam.
Tatum missed the first 62 games of the 2025-26 season after suffering the Achilles tear in May 2025. He returned earlier this month and has already logged eight appearances, scoring in double figures every time and posting five 20-point efforts. The Celtics sit at 47-24 with 11 games left. Tatum and Boston face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday in what could preview an NBA Finals matchup.
Tatum himself has consistently acknowledged the grind of his rehab and return. “I ain’t know how this s--t was going to be. It’s tough. In the moment, you try not to think about it. You just want to be Jayson Tatum and feel like yourself again. I’m not Superman, so it’s obviously going to take some time,” he told reporters recently.
Boston remains the clear favorite to represent the East, and Tatum’s continued progress could make them even more dangerous.
Tatum's slow start is understandable given the injury timeline, yet flashes of his former self have already appeared.
More NBA:Bleacher Report Points To Three Offseason Trade Targets For Celtics