Tatum: I was extremely emotional after being injured and never cried many times inadvertently

Recently, Celtic forward Tatum accepted an exclusive interview with NBC to review his Achilles tendon when it ruptured.

Professional athletes' jobs are often in the public eye, and their lives revolve around training, recovery and competition. However, on May 12, Tatum suddenly lost all this daily support. Two days later, when the Celtics were playing, Tatum could only watch the game on the sofa in the New York hotel, feeling left behind by the basketball world. He said the transition from playing in a full gym to being almost completely out of the public eye was very difficult, as if basketball was “taken away for some reason”.

From extremely independent to needing help with some small things that he used to, it was as heavy as his physical recovery. It can take 50 minutes to bathe and dress, and he is always worried that he will fall in the slippery bathroom.

"It was an extremely emotional period, and I never cried many times inadvertently like I am now," Tatum said. "…I feel very tired after showering in the morning and evening, like doing an exercise. There are many days when I just sit there and think, and I can't believe that this is my life. So, things that people don't understand, those who haven't gone through this journey or process, don't know how long and dark days there are."

When the Celtics start training a week later without Tatum, it will be an "unacceptable fact" for him. But he hopes Monday's first basketball practice will allow him to gradually increase the amount of training in the coming weeks and regain the rhythm of daily life he lost in May.

"What I've been looking forward to is feeling like I am the same as I am again and back on the court," Tatum said. "You know, go play the game I love."