Jayson Tatum is finally back front and center at Celtics camp, almost 17 months removed from that ruptured Achilles tendon, and he’s bringing a totally different vibe to the squad. This time last year, the superstar was basically a ghost, spending most of his free time grinding in the weight room, watching the team from the sidelines. He made sure to hit every practice and nearly every game, home and away, but man, it had to be brutal watching his team battle it out on the court while he was stuck in rehab.
A New Perspective, Zero Limitations
This October, everything feels different for Tatum. He’s still working with assistant coach Tony Dobbin, the same guy who guided him through that grueling rehab, but now there are zero limitations. This fall, Tatum is radiating gratitude and pure happiness, just to be actively involved. “I have a totally different perspective,” Tatum said, not holding back. “I’ve been open , last year was very tough for me. I clearly remember these days of training camp, and I would definitely be in the weight room the whole time watching the team practice, and it was tough to not go through it.” You can feel the relief in that statement, can’t you? This guy is hungry to be back.
New Faces and a Dose of Reality
Tatum isn’t just back; he’s also getting acquainted with a bunch of new Celtics teammates. We’re talking about big names like Mitchell Robinson, Paul George, Mike Conley, and even rookies Chris Cenac and Dillon Mitchell. Robinson is a guy Tatum’s faced four times a year for the last seven or eight years when he was with the Knicks. “I love Big Mitch,” Tatum said, excited about the addition. “Hilarious guy, and he really brings a different dynamic to our team. Obviously, his size and his instincts on the defensive end. He’s definitely a lob threat, and such a great defender and rebounder. I had a hard time boxing him out for the last 7, 8 years. So, now to have him on our team will definitely give us a different look. Something that I’m super excited about.” Coach Joe Mazzulla, ever the realist, made sure to point out that while spirits are high at camp, the real grind is still ahead. As he put it on Sunday, “Every team in the league is the most together team right now. Because we haven’t traveled. No one’s gotten benched. No one’s been on a losing streak. No one’s gotten blamed in the media. No one’s had to go stand in the corner for 10 minutes and not get the ball. So, you learn those things as the season goes on, and you just learn how to work through those things together. And you can’t simulate those. It just comes with time. And so, right now I would say all 30 teams feel great about themselves, and we got to wait till adversity hits.”
The real test hits when the games actually start, but right now, with Tatum feeling good and new talent settling in, there’s a definite buzz. We’re all hyped to see how this crew navigates the season once adversity inevitably shows up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Celtics Blog.
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