Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has begun his recovery journey after successfully undergoing surgery on the torn right Achilles tendon he suffered on Monday. The procedure is now complete, marking an official step towards his rehabilitation.
On Wednesday, Tatum posted a picture on Instagram following his surgery. In the post, he conveyed his deep appreciation for the numerous messages of support he received from the basketball community and people everywhere.
Accompanying the photo, which showed him giving a thumbs-up gesture, Tatum wrote in the caption, “Thankful for all the love and support,” followed by a praying hands emoji.
The injury occurred during the fourth quarter of Monday`s Game 4 matchup between the Celtics and the New York Knicks. Up until that crucial point in the game, Tatum had put in an impressive performance, recording 42 points and eight rebounds.
Many prominent figures from various fields extended their well wishes to Tatum through comments on his Instagram post. These included former New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez, who posted heart and praying hands emojis, and actor Donnie Wahlberg, who wrote `Much Love JT!`. Additionally, LeBron James and Patrick Mahomes were among those who sent supportive messages to Tatum on the platform formerly known as Twitter on the evening the injury took place.
Following Tatum`s injury, the Celtics were scheduled to compete in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Knicks on Wednesday night, needing to secure a victory without their star player to keep their playoff hopes alive.