Jayson Tatum gave Boston Celtics fans a reason to get excited this week. A short highlight video from Duke basketball surfaced, showing what appears to be a scrimmage between current players and program alumni. It features Tatum alongside fellow Duke products Paolo Banchero and Kyrie Irving, with Tatum moving with the kind of explosiveness fans haven’t seen much of since his Achilles injury.
Why This Clip Should Excite Boston Fans
Tatum’s return from that Achilles tear last season carried real weight every time he stepped on the floor. Fans watched closely for any sign of hesitation or lingering limitation. For the most part, none showed up. This latest clip continues that trend. It has fans dreaming about what a full offseason of recovery could mean heading into the year ahead.
The numbers from last season already suggest plenty of reason for optimism. Across 22 games between the regular season and playoffs, Tatum averaged 22 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists on 56 percent true shooting. Narrow the sample to his final 10 games, and those numbers climb even further. He put up 23 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists on 60 percent true shooting.
Those figures are especially notable given the context surrounding them. Tatum was working through a playoff ramp-up while still recovering from a serious injury. He was thrust back into high-stakes basketball far sooner than most players in his situation would be. Yet he found his All-NBA form with relatively little friction. That’s a sign of just how much talent and conditioning he was able to maintain even through a difficult rehab process.
With a full healthy offseason now behind him, rather than a rushed return under playoff pressure, it’s not hard to imagine him fully reclaiming that level of play. Maybe even more, once the games start to count again.
Final Word for the Celtics
A clip from a college scrimmage isn’t hard evidence of anything definitive, but for a fan base starved for meaningful updates this deep into the offseason, it’s exactly the kind of glimpse that fuels real optimism.
If Tatum’s performance late last season is any indication, and this video suggests his body is continuing to trend in the right direction, Boston could have its star forward back at an All-NBA or even MVP level as soon as this year. For a Celtics team already retooling its roster around him after a chaotic offseason, that possibility alone makes things a little easier to sit through.
Celtics Get Encouraging Jayson Tatum News Before New Season