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The Boston Celtics still have some hope after winning Game 5 against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals, but they’re still without their biggest star, Jayson Tatum.
Tatum suffered a noncontact injury in Game 4, which was determined to be a right Achilles tendon tear a day after he’d already undergone surgery. Fans were left in the dark between the delayed announcement and speedy surgery until ESPN’s Marc J. Spears broke down the moments following the injury.
In speaking to Malika Andrews on NBA Today, Spears revealed he had a phone call with Tatum’s dad, Justin, a coach in Indonesia.
He was traveling with his team to a game in Mongolia, and during a stopover in South Korea, he was watching his son’s game, cheering him on. He’d already scored 42 points but knew immediately that it was an Achilles injury when he went down.
Jayson Tatum reportedly had an emotional conversation with his dad after his Achilles injury in Game 4:
“Why me, dad? Why me? Why does this have to happen to me?”
h/t @MarcJSpears
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) May 14, 2025
“He said that within 10 minutes, Jayson’s mom, Brandy, called him, and he got off the phone and started balling,” Spears said.
Spears adds that eventually Jayson called his father and “they cried on the phone together.”
“Jayson was asking him, ‘Why me, Dad? Why me? Why does this have to happen to me?’” Spears added of the father-son conversation.
His father tried to calm him down, saying, “Son, this is God’s will. You’re young; you’re going to get through this.”
He gave him added reassurance by mentioning that Kobe Bryant had the same injury back in 2013, when he famously made two free throws after.
Spears reports that Tatum had surgery the morning after the injury, which was performed by the same doctor who repaired Kevin Durant and Tiger Woods’ Achilles.
Tatum refused when his dad asked if he needed to quit his coaching gig in Asia and return home. While he’s sure that his 27-year-old son will physically make a sound recovery, that’s not his main focus.
“The thing he’s most concerned about is his son mentally. This is the first time he’s had an injury like this before,” Spears said. “He’s not worried about the physical; his son is not even 30 yet, but it’s the mental part. And he feels like each day he’ll get better.”
“I’m devastated by this and I appreciate all the love and support from everyone… this injury will not define me and I can’t wait to be back in Celtic green to show you why.”
Jayson Tatum in a text message to Reggie Miller.pic.twitter.com/niDBIs9DG4
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 15, 2025
Just two days removed from the injury, he is, in fact, already improving. During the Knicks-Celtics broadcast, commentator Reggie Miller revealed an uplifting message to fans that Tatum texted him.
“I’m devastated by this and I appreciate all the love and support from everyone… this injury will not define me and I can’t wait to be back in Celtic green to show you why.”
See social media’s reaction below.