The Boston Celtics star was a guest on the 'Dan Patrick Show' on Thursday.
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum made a noteworthy appearance on 'The Dan Patrick Show' on Thursday, discussing many things, from the nerves and anxiety he felt while returning from a torn Achilles last season, to his relationship with Jaylen Brown.
It was a vulnerable appearance from Tatum, especially with regards to his Achilles injury and recovery, and it was refreshingly honest.
Tatum said that he leaned on the NBA community during his recovery, consulting Kevin Durant for advice, while also talking extensively with Damian Lillard, who tore his Achilles a few weeks before Tatum did.
He said that because Lillard was a few weeks ahead in recovery, he was a good person to talk with because he could always check in with him on benchmarks. He said he also talked with Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers, who tore his Achilles a few weeks after Tatum did. It's presumed that Tatum was also a good reference for Haliburton in his recovery.
All three players will be fully back this season. Haliburton did not appear in any games last season.
Shaq’s OGs guard Stephen Curry (30) of the Golden State Warriors and forward Jayson Tatum (0) of the Boston Celtics and guard Damian Lillard (0) of the Milwaukee Bucks and forward Kevin Durant (35) of the Phoenix Suns celebrate with the trophy after defeating Chuck’s Global Stars during the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center. Kyle Terada-Imagn ImagesAbout Tatum
The No. 3 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft out of Duke, Tatum is a six-time All-Star through his nine years in the league. A five-time All-NBA selection, he has helped the Celtics get to the NBA Finals twice, and he helped them win the title in 2023-24. He was a member of the All-Rookie Team in 2017-18 and was named the All-Star Game MVP in 2023.
He has averaged 23.5 ppg for his career to go along with 7.4 rebounds.
With Jaylen Brown no longer on the team, he'll have plenty of pressure on him to help carry this roster. The Celtics finished as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference last season, but that feels difficult to repeat this year.
The Eastern Conference has gotten significantly deeper in the offseason, with the 76ers, Raptors, Heat, and Wizards seeing extensive roster upgrades. The Pacers should be much better as well with Haliburton returning.
They were in the NBA Finals just two years ago, taking the Oklahoma City Thunder to Game 7, which is where he got hurt.
Up next for Boston
Training camp officially begins on Sept. 29 and the Celtics will be into the preseason almost immediately. The first of four preseason games begins on Oct. 8 and the regular season opener is set for Oct. 20 against Detroit.
