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Tatum opens up about the doubt he faced during recovery, the victory of small steps (literally), and how he hopes his story impacts his sons.

In one split second, Boston Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum went from battling to keep his team’s playoff hopes alive to wondering what his future in basketball might look like. During Game 4 of Boston’s May 2025 playoff series against the New York Knicks, he lunged for the ball and ruptured his right Achilles tendon.

It was a difficult, painful setback for a player at the height of his career. Selected third overall by the Celtics in the 2017 NBA Draft after one season at Duke University, Tatum has spent his entire nine-year NBA career in Boston.

Tatum’s long rehabilitation tested him physically and emotionally, turning small milestones like taking a few steps or walking up stairs into critical victories. Tatum, who has also won two gold medals for his contributions to Team USA, shared with The Healthy about the moment he was injured, the resilience he had to find after, and the community that kept him going. He also discusses his partnership with Journavx, a non-opioid painkiller that he says brought him significant relief during his recovery.

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The Healthy: You’ve had an incredible journey back to the court after your right Achilles tendon ruptured, a brutal injury for any athlete. Could you take us back to the moment it happened and what went through your mind when you realized how serious the injury might be?

Jayson Tatum: It was definitely a tough day, a tough moment for me. It was Game 4 [of the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 2025] of us playing against the Knicks. I just remember my mindset that morning was all about tying up the series. We were down 2-1. I was super excited for the game. I knew the atmosphere would be incredible. I knew it was a great opportunity for myself and my teammates to go out there and tie up the series and go back to Boston.

It was a really good game. It was fun. I was playing well. It was competitive. We came out of a timeout and [Coach Mazzulla] drew up a play.  I caught the ball in front of the Knicks bench and passed the ball to my teammate, JB [Jaylen Brown], and it got deflected.

I lunged for the ball and then in my mind I felt like I heard a loud pop and I immediately just fell to the ground. Everything just kind of went dark for a second because I knew what just happened and it just felt like my basketball career may have just flashed in front of my eyes. I remember just being on the ground and holding the back of my Achilles and being in a lot of pain for 30 or 40 seconds or so.

The Healthy: What did a typical day of  rehab look like after your surgery, and what helped you remain disciplined throughout that process?

Jayson Tatum: Each day was a little bit different. The first two weeks I still had my stitches in and I was still in a soft cast so I couldn’t move really. I was just sitting on my mom’s couch all day and watching TV. And then at two weeks you get your stitches out and you get into this very large boot and you get crutches, but you still can’t put any weight on it. At four weeks you get to go 50% weight-bearing. At 10 to 12 weeks I was able to get out of the boot. Then I finally got to put shoes on.

At 18 weeks or so, 16 weeks, I was able to start light, light basketball workouts. Around 22 weeks I was able to raise the intensity on the basketball workouts. Around 24 to 26 weeks is when I got to start doing contact stuff. It was many hours spent in the swimming pool, in the weight room, really just focusing on strengthening my calf and trusting it again.

The Healthy: That’s a long process. How did you remain disciplined through it all?

Jayson Tatum: The first two or three weeks was very, very tough for me mentally. I doubted myself. I wasn’t sure if I was mentally and physically fit to go through this type of rehab. But I would say my family, my kids, my mom, my friends, the organization, just so many people that showed up for me in a really big way. They just kept my spirits uplifted. Even on the toughest days they were just there for me. It played a part in me just getting through each day.

The Healthy: Was there a particular milestone during your recovery—your first steps or running or jumping or practicing again—when you began to think I’m going to come back from this?

Jayson Tatum: There were a bunch. It sounds a little crazy, but it was like each little step. When I first got out of surgery, it just felt like I was going to have these stitches and this cast on forever. And then two weeks came and I finally got the stitches out and I was able to look at my leg. And at the four-week mark, I was able to put 50% weight-bearing on.

The biggest milestone maybe was when I took my first steps, maybe walking up steps for the first time was big for me mentally just because the last time that I pushed off or used this leg, it gave out on me. So it’s a mental hurdle. It was a fear. As small as just taking a few steps and walking up a few set of stairs both really put a smile on my face and gave me some confidence.

The Healthy: Rehab rarely follows a straight path. What were some of your most difficult moments of doubt or frustration and how did you work through them?

Jayson Tatum: I would say the first week or so just being in disbelief that this happened to me, that this was my reality. No athlete ever thinks they’re going to have to have surgery or get injured or things like that. I think being in pain is scary. I always say there’s people and family and certain things that really helped me throughout this process. For example, when I got to the four-week mark and I was finally going to put 50% weight-bearing on my foot. Mentally [I was thinking], the last time I did put weight on this, it gave out. I was really anxious and nervous for that.

And I remember leading up to that process, talking to my doctor and he was saying that this may be challenging because you may experience some pain. I remember he said we could talk about taking Journavx. For me that gave me the confidence because taking Journavx, from my experience, not having any pain, gave me the confidence to move forward because that can be tough. If you have any setbacks in rehab, it kind of sets everything back. It sounds small, but that was a really big milestone for me.

The Healthy: Can you tell us more about your partnership with Journavx? Why was exploring a non-opioid option important to you?

Jayson Tatum: In my own experience, I was prescribed opioids right after I had surgery. I took one at 8 p.m. that night and at midnight and 4 a.m. I took it every four hours. And I remember my trainer came into my room the first night and it was like six or seven o’clock in the morning and I was like, “Yo, I can’t take this anymore, the medicine, because of how it’s making me feel.” I felt so dizzy and nauseous and out of it. At that moment, I was like, “Man, I’d just rather deal with the pain than keep feeling like this.” From that experience, I was determined [saying] “I’m not doing that again.” Thankfully, speaking with my doctor and understanding that there were other options. I was very thankful for that.

The Healthy: You’ve spoken about mental resilience required to make this comeback. What practical habits—such as goal-setting, therapy, or meditation—helped you stay mentally strong?

Jayson Tatum: A few things. There was a moment where I just had to accept… I had to look myself in the mirror and talk to myself about this. It happened and you can’t change it. You can’t go back in time and not lunge for the ball. This is your reality. So part of it was I just had to accept that this happened to me and I can’t change it. Now what are you going to do to make it better?

And secondly, for me, I couldn’t look too far ahead. When I first started rehab, I didn’t think about coming back to play.  I just was like, “I want to be able to walk again.” So it was like, “Don’t look too far ahead.” I was like, “I want to feel better today than I did yesterday.” That really helped me.

The Healthy: That’s great advice for a lot of people dealing with setbacks. You’re a dad of two young sons. How has becoming a father shaped the way you handled this injury, and what do you hope your children learn from watching you work your way back to healthy?

Jayson Tatum: I think just having both of my kids around during this process and seeing that, especially Deuce, my oldest son—he has seen his dad win a championship and gold medals and All-Star games. For the most of his life, he’s just seen the good things and it’s all been celebrated and good vibes. This was essentially the first time he had to witness his dad really go through something. Maybe he’s too young to look at it that way, but as he gets older, we’ll always be able to revisit the time when daddy went through his rehab and how he persevered and was resilient and showed up every single day. That will for sure be a teaching moment for both of my kids.

The Healthy: What a great perspective! Jayson, can you tell us why you tug on your ear before every game? What’s the meaning behind it?

Jayson Tatum: My grandma on my mom’s side, between my mom and her they would be the two most important women in my life. My grandma’s been very involved and inspirational in my life ever since I was born. I was around 8 years old when we had a conversation— She was the one who always told me about keeping God first in my life and to always give him the honor and the glory. So I would always pray before my games and she came up with the idea that it was our way of acknowledging each other because my grandma came to every Little League, middle school, high school game that I played. Even if she isn’t there, I know she’s watching. So I tug them before every game, for the last 20 years now. That’s for my grandmother.

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