Jaylen Brown applauds Jayson Tatum for being an “extra coach” while he was out

ByNBAUSA



BOSTON — Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum he always wants to win, but he can’t help his team win on the sidelines while rehabilitating a ruptured Achilles. Well, at least not directly.

Although it is the six-time All-Star may not be able to play this seasonhe is still determined to do everything he can to influence victory. Tatum instructed younger teammates, remained vocal on the bench and served as a positive presence in the locker room despite his unfortunate injury.

Another Celtics star Jailen Brown he was a fan of Tatum’s efforts off the field, even calling him an unofficial addition to Boston’s coaching staff.

“He was super active and around himself,” Brown said after Saturday morning’s practice. “It was great to see. He was engaged, he was on most of the flights, he was on almost every film session. That level of commitment, you can tell he’s anxious to get back.” A lot of guys, they have a longer time, they’ll mentally separate themselves for a little bit… But he was almost like an extra coach.”

What Tatum does isn’t necessarily the norm. When some players are expected to miss significant time, they often take a laissez-faire approach and let the team figure it out. Celtics rookie Hugo Gonzalez he just arrived in the league, and even he understands that Tatum is more hands-on than most NBA players would be in his situation.

“I don’t know many players that travel with the team that are injured,” Gonzalez noted Saturday. “He would love to be on the field, but he’s just trying to help everyone around him.”

How Jayson Tatum helped lead the Celtics despite injury

While Tatum doesn’t have a clear timeline for his return to action, he is fully committed to the recovery process. The drive he’s shown in trying to come back is also a form of leadership, according to the Celtics’ head coach Joe Mazzullawho believes that the example Tatum sets inspires other C groups.

“Obviously, his ability to lead on the field has been taken away,” Macula said. “He’s done a great job leading off the field. First, with the work ethic of his recovery. But at the same time, the individual relationships he’s built on the bench have those communications, whether it’s in practice or the game. That’s been invaluable to the locker room and that’s another way of his ability to lead.”

One Celtic Tatum was in direct communication with is the center of Neemias Kueta. The Sacramento Kings drafted the 7-footer in the second round in 2021 and ended up releasing him. The Celtics took a chance on the Portuguese native and developed him into a legitimate NBA starter, averaging over eight points and eight rebounds per outing in 13 games this season.

Cueta said during Friday afternoon’s practice that while he is still a “work in progress” in his starting role, he feels more comfortable on the field than in years past. He noted that his conversations with Tatum helped his progress.

“He was on me from the moment I got here to Boston,” Ketta recalls. “We’ve been able to build that relationship. He’s always trying to help me figure out what I can do better, figure out how to get my teammates open. (He’s) just trying to be kind of a coach, so to speak, because he can’t play right now. But I feel like he’s been one of the most vocal guys and he’s always trying to tell us that he’s leading us with what he can.”

Players and coaches alike clearly appreciate Tatum’s voice, regardless of his playing status. A coaching career may be in the 27-year-old’s future as his father, Justin, captains the NBL Illawarra Hawks in Australia.

But if Tatum has proven anything during his dedication to the recovery process, it’s that the only future he envisions is when he’s back in a Celtics jersey and wowing the TD Garden crowd.





2025-11-15 21:59:00

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