There has been growing speculation that the Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum could return to action before the end of the season, but the player said no final decision has been made, according to Ramona Shelburne during an NBA on ESPN segment (video link).
Tatum told Shelburne, “I still have not made a decision on whether or not I’m coming back this year.”
Shelburne added that Boston’s organization is not pressuring him to return this season and that the forward still faces several recovery milestones following the Achilles injury he suffered during last year’s playoffs.
Meanwhile, Steve Bulpett on Heavy.com reported that a seemingly harmless social media update helped fuel renewed comeback rumors.
A post on Twitter/X and Bluesky noted that Boston’s March 1 home game against Philadelphia had been moved from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and would now air nationally on NBC, leading many fans to speculate that Tatum and the Celtics could be targeting that matchup for a potential return.
Tatum has played 8 seasons for the Celtics. He has averaged 23.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 585 regular-season games.
He was selected to play in 6 All-Star games, and has won 1 NBA championship.
Celtics Notes: Tatum, Brown, Film Study https://t.co/uAWjnLZk3r pic.twitter.com/1g4RK9OJ8f
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) February 17, 2026
