"Entire right leg is atrophied" - NBA fans stunned as Jayson Tatum ditches walking boot hinting early Achilles comeback

Boston Celtics fans were left heartbroken after Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals series against the New York Knicks. Following the injury, the Celtics lost the series 4-2.

Going into the offseason, Boston had concerns about their star forward's return. It was expected that Tatum would miss the entirety of the 2025-26 season. However, it looks like the fans may have some hope as the six-time All-Star has already ditched his walking boot.

On Monday, a video surfaced that showed Tatum walking without any supportive gear. The fans swarmed the comments section with their opinions on the Celtics star's recovery.

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"Entire right leg is atrophied," one fan said. "I know it’s like a 'duh' thing to say but it’s just wild to see how much muscle you lose in sum you can’t use for so long. Like his left n right leg look totally different from each other lol," another fan said. "Boy that leg don't look even look 50%," a fan tweeted.

One fan highlighted that Tatum was in the muscular rehab stage in his recovery.

"Nope thats normal im orthopedic surgeon that means he is now on muscular rehab," the fan commented. "He just needs to blast stem cells on the low and he’ll be back by January," another fan posted. "Man that leg looks so skinny 😭 🙏," a fan commented.

Tatum was arguably playing one of the best years of his career before the season-ending injury. He led the Celtics to a championship in 2024 and was on track to turn the series against the Knicks in Boston's favor.

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Jayson Tatum paid a surprise visit to the University of Tennessee to work out while attending his friend's wedding

On July 17, Jayson Tatum paid a surprise visit to the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga. The Celtics star was scheduled to use the university's training facilities while he attended his former teammate Kemba Walker's wedding.

The star forward specifically asked to use the weight training room, and according to Chattanooga Mocs guard Parker Robison, Tatum was serious about the injury as he entered the gym.

"The crazy thing was that he showed up, said ‘Hi,’ took some pictures, and then got right to work,” Robison said per The Athletic's Jay King on Wednesday. “You could tell that he was really serious about this injury. Got right on a table and his trainer just got right to it, started rehabbing, doing some strengthening stuff for that torn Achilles."

Last season, Jayson Tatum averaged 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. He is on his way to recover as quickly as possible, and if he does return early next season, the fans should not expect him to perform the same way he did before the injury.

Edited by Kim Daniel Rubinos