Jayson Tatum Admits Toll of Achilles Tear Had Him Considering an Exit From Basketball

To hear him tell it, Jayson Tatum's Achilles tear was almost the end of the line for the 27-year-old, six-time All-Star.

“It was almost like I felt betrayed," he said of the injury, speaking with NBC News in comments published Tuesday. “I was one of those guys that I never wanted to sit out. I always wanted to play the most minutes, you know. Since I’ve been drafted, I was easily top five in minutes played and games played, and you know, I feel like I took care of my body. I didn’t cheat the game. When it was time to rest, I rested. When it was time to work out or lift or get treatment or whatever it was, I felt like I always stayed on top of my routine.

"So for this to happen, it was just like, man, this was not supposed to happen to me. And for a while, I was kind of like—it may sound dramatic, but I remember telling my mom, like ‘Mom, I might be done. I don’t know if I’ll be able to overcome this or if I’m up for this challenge.’ You know, I just felt defeated. And there was a time I was like, I don’t know if I want to do this anymore."

You can't blame him for feeling so down; an Achilles tear is one of the worst injuries to befall an elite athlete, considering the time it takes to recover and the muscle you lose in the rehab. Tatum himself admitted he cried for two hours when it first happened.

But it sounds like he is in a better headspace now, and is attacking his recovery with everything he's got. So don't fret—it might still take a minute, but we'll get to see Jayson Tatum play basketball again in due time.