Celtics' Jayson Tatum Reveals Game-Changing Advice From Former Rival
· Yahoo Sports
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Last May, Jayson Tatum suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon in the NBA Playoffs, putting his 2025-26 season in jeopardy. Less than 11 months later, he had a historic triple-double against the Miami Heat.
After a rusty, belated start to his season, Tatum has scored 25+ points in three straight games, looking more like his old self again. He also looks like he's having more fun on the court, too, after showing frustration during his recent shooting slump.
Following his big performance in Wednesday's road win over the Miami Heat, Tatum revealed some key advice he received from Dallas Mavericks shooting guard Klay Thompson, who also came back from the same injury.
“Klay [Thompson] told me this after we played them the first time, he’s just like, ‘Man, he’s like one thing he wished he did more, when he first came back was just give himself more grace. He was like, ‘There's not too many people who understand what this injury is like and coming back and the ups and downs, physically and mentally that you deal with.’ That's just something I've tried to continue to remind myself," Tatum told Celtics reporter Noa Dalzell.
Asked Jayson Tatum if he feels like there’s been a turning point with the joy he’s felt on the floor as of late:
— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) April 2, 2026
“Klay [Thompson] told me this after we played them the first time, he’s just like, ‘Man, he’s like one thing he wished he did more, when he first came back was just… pic.twitter.com/aoAtVkOzLk
"It’s a balance of being a competitor and wanting to be the best version of yourself, but I just kind of try to remember, I've come a long way, and I'm grateful to be where I'm at. I wasn't 100% sure I was even gonna be able to play this year, so the fact that I'm able to go out there and contribute even what I'm doing now is a big win," Tatum added.
Thompson's advice has helped Tatum keep things in perspective over the past few weeks as he's battled ups and downs. He admits that he still gets frustrated at times when he doesn't play up to his usual standards.
That hasn't been the case lately, however, as the reigning NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week is starting to resemble an elite player again.
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