LeBron James Greets Jayson Tatum After Achilles Comeback
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James used social media on March 7, 2026 to salute Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum following Tatum’s first game since a torn Achilles.
“WELCOME BACK BIG DEUCE!!!” James wrote on X, tagging @jaytatum0, shortly after the Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks.
Tatum, 28, suffered the injury during last season’s playoffs against the New York Knicks. Although Achilles tears often sideline players for about a year, the three-time All-Star returned in 10 months after an intensive rehabilitation program. In his 27-minute outing at TD Garden, he recorded 15 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, shaking off early rust with a dunk late in the first half.
James, 41, built a rapport with Tatum while both played for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Their on-court rivalry dates back to James’s second stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, yet mutual respect has remained constant.
The Lakers and Celtics have already completed their two regular-season meetings, so the longtime rivals will face each other again only if they reach the NBA Finals. Whether James will be on the floor next season—in what would be his 24th year—has not been confirmed, though league insiders widely expect him to return.
Earlier this season, Tatum cited Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant as indisputable members of his all-time top five, calling the trio “already cemented.”
Source: LakersNation.com
