Jayson Tatum Achilles Recovery Plan Seemingly Being Followed by Donte DiVincenzo

The Minnesota Timberwolves Guard tore his Achilles Saturday night, and on Sunday took the same first step Tatum took, apparently looking for a similar result

Mar 30, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) celebrates after he makes a three point basket against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

It has been 49 weeks and five days since Jayson Tatum tore his right Achilles tendon against the New York Knicks, and he looks very much like himself on the floor.

“It’s really been a long journey,” Tatum said after the Boston Celtics Game 1 win over the 76ers. “Obviously, a lot of things had to go right to even have the opportunity to come back and play, so obviously I thank God every day that I’m able to do and return to do what I love. From surgery the next day and Nick [Sang] and everything in between these last 48 weeks, it’s kind of been a buildup to today.”

Tatum being back and mostly himself in the playoffs has changed the entire narrative around the Celtics. They had a great regular season without him, but with him looking as good as he has, they are considered the favorite to come out of the East. 

And it’s that surgery the day after his injury that was so critical to Tatum’s amazing recovery. That, along with the rehab plan devised by Sang and the Celtics medical and training staff, has put Tatum in position to be almost 100% less than a year removed from the injury. 

Tatum’s recovery is the new standard for NBA players who have suffered this devastating injury. On Saturday night, Minnesota’s Donte DiVincenzo became the first NBA player to tear his Achilles since Tatum’s return. And we can see the immediate impact Tatum’s recovery has had, because it was announced Sunday that DiVincenzo would get the Achilles repair surgery from the same doctor who operated on Tatum, less than 24 hours after the injury. 

The Timberwolves just announced that Donte DiVincenzo will undergo surgery this afternoon in New York by specialist Dr. Martin O’Malley after DiVincenzo sustained a torn right Achilles tendon in Saturday’s Game 4 win over Denver. https://t.co/7CrYHq4RTN

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) April 26, 2026

Dr. Martin O’Malley is not only considered the best in the business when it comes to Achilles repair, he’s known to use the innovative “SpeedBridge” technique, which not only sutures the torn ligament back together, it essentially anchors a support system around the ligament to speed up the recovery process. 

It’s unclear yet if the Timberwolves have been in touch with the Celtics, but it would not be surprising if they did communicate. If not, it’s very likely that they will in an effort to get DiVincenzo back in a similar amount of time as Tatum. 

It’s important to note here that every injury and recovery is different. Bodies respond to things in different ways, so following Tatum’s exact plan isn’t guaranteed to produce the exact same results. However, Tatum’s immediate surgery and rehab plan is now the gold standard for these injuries. We are entering an era where this Achilles rehab is the basketball version of Tommy John surgery. What used to be devastating and possibly career-ending becomes something an athlete can bounce back from and get back to their normal level of play. 

DiVincenzo’s recovery is a major proof of concept for this approach. If he comes back in a similar amount of time, then the evidence will be clear. Tatum’s injury, while devastating at the time, might have been the ultimate blessing in disguise for NBA players who also tear their Achilles tendons. A relatively quick path back that doesn't necessarily mean a lost season could change a lot of careers down the road.