Jayson Tatum revealed that his personal goal is to return from injury during the 2025-26 NBA season.

The Boston Celtics star suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during their Eastern Conference playoff semi-final against the New York Knicks last season, ruling him out for the start of the current campaign.

Tatum was one of three players across the league to suffer the injury during the postseason, with Damian Lillard also sidelined with the same issue before the Indiana Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles tendon in game seven of the NBA Finals.

Tatum averaged 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists during the 2024-25 regular season as the Celtics lost their NBA crown to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Celtics have started the season 1-3, winning against the New Orleans Pelicans last time out, and Tatum has made multiple appearances with the squad on the bench.

TONIGHT  Celtics vs. @cavs

 7:00 PM
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— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 29, 2025

Although many expected the 27-year-old to be ruled out for the whole 2025-26 campaign, the forward is determined to make a return to the court ahead of the postseason.

"Not being able to be out there with the team is already tough enough," Tatum told SB Nation.

"But still traveling and being with them during meetings and game[s] and practices and shootarounds, still trying to feel as much a part of the team as I can, I think it really helps my mental health a lot.

"I've been working my butt off for the last 24 weeks now, just trying to get healthy and trying to get 100%, and it's just something that motivates me.

"Every day, I go to rehab and work out, and I'm on the court. [Coming back this year] is something I can try to get to. It's a goal for myself. I challenge myself every day."