Celtics’ Xavier Tillman Stunned by What He Saw Jayson Tatum Doing in Rehab
It’s been five months since Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles tendon. At the time, the Boston Celtics superstar was expected to be sidelined for the entirety of the 2025-26 NBA season. However, the St. Louis native appears to be ahead of schedule.
According to Xavier Tillman Sr., who spoke with Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston, Tatum is already incorporating box jumps into his rehab program. That likely means that his Achilles tendon is strong enough to bear his weight with light impact. That is a significant step forward.
“I mean, I’m seeing this guy do like box jumps and stuff like that, and I’m like, huh? What?” Tillman said.
There’s growing hope that Tatum will be medically cleared before the end of the coming season. However, that is unlikely to happen anytime in the near future. Nevertheless, with each passing week, we’re getting new and encouraging updates regarding his road to recovery and the work he’s putting in.
Tatum played in 72 regular-season games during the 2024-25 campaign. He averaged 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and six assists, shooting 45.2% from the field and 34.3% from deep.
Tatum Has a Goal For Celtics’ Return
During the September 23 episode of TODAY With Jenna and Friends, Tatum discussed his rehab process and his goal of getting back on the court. He did, however, stop short of setting a date or guaranteeing that he will be back in the upcoming campaign.
“For me and my team, the doctor, the organization, the most important thing is making the full recovery,” Tatum said. “I haven’t said like, ‘Yo, I’m not playing this season or anything like that.’…
Tatum isn’t the only
Tatum Doubled Down on First Take
Shortly after his appearance on “TODAY,” Tatum was back on television, this time with
“I haven’t said I’m not playing this season,” Tatum said. “…I don’t go to rehab six days a week for nothing. But with that being said, with being a part of the organization and the
Whenever Tatum does return to the court, he will need multiple months to get back into game shape. After all, being medically cleared and being at NBA-level fitness are two different things. However, you can only achieve that fitness level by playing competitive games on he floor.
Therefore, if Tatum is medically cleared, feels good, and the coaching staff trusts he can sustain the added workload, his return will be a welcome boost to Boston’s rotation in the latter part of the season.
JJ Redick Pinpoints Lakers’ “Bright Spot” in Blowout Loss to Suns
The Los Angeles Lakers’ preseason got off to a rocky start on Friday, Oct. 3. JJ Redick’s team suffered a 22-point loss to the
Despite being blown out, Redick found some positives in his team’s performance. When speaking to the media during his post-game news conference, he pinpointed Jarred Vanderbilt as a bright spot for the
“I thought Vando played extremely hard and was very disruptive,” Redick said. “…He was a bright spot tonight. I thought his physicality, disruption defensively was good. As he builds his conditioning, I expect him to be an elite offensive rebounder for us this year. He’s really worked on his shot, I know it didn’t show tonight. But he’s worked on his shot and he’s getting more and more comfortable shooting spot-up 3s. So I expect him to be an impact player for us.”
Vanderbilt’s first two seasons with the Lakers have been decimated by injuries. He played in just 29 games in the 2023-24 season and followed that up with 39 regular-season outings in the 24-25 campaign. Clearly, Redick is hoping Vanderbilt can stay healthy, especially due to what he provides defensively on the perimeter.
Redick Hopes Lakers Have “Pre-Injury” Vanderbilt
During the same news conference, Redick noted how Vanderbilt’s production in the early days of preseason is giving him hope that he’s back to his pre-injury best.
“It looks like we do have the pre-injury version of Vando,” Redick said. “I’ve talked a lot with him this summer about just like that he got put into a tough spot, post-trade, because he had to play the five, there weren’t other options. Just play small, had to be the backup five, they were our two options. So, I think getting him back on the perimeter, his body being in a good place from an athleticism and agility standpoint, will be super helpful for our team.”
Last season, the Lakers ranked 17th in the NBA for defensive rating, allowing 113.8 points per game. Rob Pelinka has moved to fix some of those defensive issues this summer.
However, having Vanderbilt back and healthy will also be a huge boost to Redick and the
Lakers Face Warriors Next
Los Angeles will be back in action on Sunday, Oct. 5. The second game of their preseason preparations will be against the Golden State Warriors
Nevertheless, the Lakers will undoubtedly want to get into the win column. Even though these games don’t count, it’s important to build some momentum and stack some preseason wins. Nevertheless, Redick will likely be focused on seeing signs of improvement from his rotation. Fitness, understanding of the system’s principles and overall cohesion will be among the key indicators of how the
Vanderbilt will undoubtedly want to continue impressing and proving his value to the organization. After two difficult years, this could be the season where he finally shines. Hopefully, a healthy season from him can get the franchise one step closer to a championship.
