Paul George shares what he told Celtics star Jayson Tatum after his Achilles injury

Veteran Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George knows a thing or two about how injuries can change the course of a career in the NBA. But he also knows how to claw one’s way back to an elite level of play from such an injury, which likely played a role in the Sixers star having reached out to his counterpart on the Boston Celtics after Jayson Tatum suffered an Achilles tendon injury in the 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals.

George opened a window into his communication with the Celtics star about that injury after his 76ers beat the Charlotte Hornets 118-114 on the road this past Friday (March 28) evening. “I reached out to him when it initially happened, just to tell him I’m praying for him, and hoping for a speedy recovery, and that God’s got him — he’s in good hands,” said the Sixers vet. “So we talked a little bit, but not necessarily through the process.”

“People go through their things,” added the Philadelphia star. “I told him, I’m here if you need anything — I wanted to leave the door open if he wanted, but people go through injuries (their own way).”

Jan 27, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; LA Clippers forward Paul George (13) and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) after the game at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

“Man, this is almost something that you’ve got to figure out and learn on your own (…)”, he said. “What I’ve learned that through injuries, it can make you or could break you, and so you’ve got to go through it on your own to see what you’re made of, to come out of that, because you’re going to come out a different player.”

“And there’s nothing that I could tell you to prepare you for that, because there’s going to be good days and there’s going to be bad days, and that’s just the nature of the injury. So again, that’s something that you’ve got to get through on your own.”

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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Paul George shares what he told Jayson Tatum after his Achilles injury