How long is Jayson Tatum out? Achilles recovery timeline, return date, latest updates on Celtics star

The Celtics were trying to avoid going down 3-1 to the Knicks in the second round of the NBA playoffs. Boston would go on to lose the game, but they suffered a worse loss than in the series. 

Star forward Jayson Tatum went down with a non-contact injury. He had to be wheeled to the locker room, and was diagnosed with a torn Achilles.

In the short term, the Celtics must find a way to stay alive in the playoffs without him. In the long term, Boston will have to start game planning how much of the 2025-2026 season they won’t have Tatum for. 

Jayson Tatum was helped off the court late in Game 4 after an apparent leg injury on this play. pic.twitter.com/UF8D4mxqlo

— ESPN (@espn) May 13, 2025

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Here is more on how long Tatum will be sidelined with his injury. 

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How long is Jayson Tatum out?

The news on the extent of Tatum’s injury took a curious amount of time to be released. Once the medical team finishes imaging on his knee, they should be able to determine the extent of the injury, but that hasn’t been announced yet.

While this leads some Boston fans to be optimistic, ESPN’s NBA analyst Shams Charania doesn’t share the same sentiment. 

Shams:

“The Boston Celtics are bracing for the worst around Jayson Tatum and that right foot. The Celtics since last night have been expecting a severe injury for Tatum” pic.twitter.com/lNUSTNRYj4

— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) May 13, 2025

“The Boston Celtics are bracing for the worst around Jayson Tatum and that right foot,” Charania said. “The Celtics, since last night have been expecting a severe injury for Tatum.”

If it is a torn Achilles for Tatum, he is going to miss significant time. He could end up missing the entirety of the 2025-2026 season, but at the very least, he would be expected to be sidelined for around nine months.

This would likely cause him to miss the first two months of the following NBA season if not longer. 

Jayson Tatum today underwent successful surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon. No timetable is currently available for his return, but he is expected to make a full recovery. Further updates will be provided when appropriate. pic.twitter.com/TTXziFtMQB

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 13, 2025

Tatum was confirmed to have torn his Achilles tendon. The best guess is that he may be able to return in nine months, but that will depend on how well he recovers and if he has any setbacks. 

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Torn Achilles recovery time in the NBA

Achilles injuries are not all the same. Some end up being more minor once imaging is done, others look like they aren’t going to be as bad, but then there are complications with healing or during surgery and it prolongs the recovery timeline. 

Achilles injuries can vary. Typically, the return timeline is around nine months. Athletes can usually begin walking and other low-impact activities around leading up to six months, but will then have to ramp up in exercises to get game-ready for a few months.

If players have a more severe injury and have to take the rehab process more slowly, returning from Achilles injuries can sometimes take up to a year. 

Achilles tear vs. rupture difference

In basic terms, a tear is a broad way to describe any sort of damage to the Achilles, while a rupture is a specific type of injury.

As described by South Shore Orthopedics, healthcare professionals used a three-tiered grading system to assess the damage suffered in any injury to a muscle, tendon or ligament.

A rupture is a Grade 3 injury — the worst on the scale — and constitutes a “complete tear.” It is considered a “very traumatic injury” and says that it “almost always requires surgery in order to regain proper function.”

That makes it a difficult injury from which to recover.

“Any type of tear can cause patients issues but a full rupture is much tougher to bounce back from in the long-term as a great deal of tissue needs to be repaired. Ruptures are often associated with obvious deformities (such as a tendon rolling up) and an audible pop while tears are more subtle and may only be associated with pain.”

Meanwhile, a tear can encompass Grade 1, Grade 2 or Grade 3 injuries, as each comes with a certain amount of tearing. Grade 1 is mild, Grade 2 is moderate and, as mentioned, Grade 3 is full.

So, while a rupture is always a tear, a tear is not always a rupture. That’s an important distinction when assessing the potential that each player has in coming back from such a serious injury.

Notable NBA players with torn Achilles

Here is a look at some notable players and how long Achilles injuries have sidelined them. The typical injury return timeline is six to nine months, depending on the severity of the injury and how rehab and healing go.