BOSTON (AP) — Boston All-Star Jayson Tatum took a big step toward returning from his torn Achilles tendon when he was assigned to practice with the Maine Celtics, the organization's G-League team, on Monday.
The organization said he would immediately be recalled to the Boston Celtics and continue to rehab the injury he sustained in the Eastern Conference semifinals last spring.
Tatum led the Celtics to their title in 2024 and had them on track for a repeat before the injury, which was expected to keep him out for about a year.
Boston entered Monday night with the third-best record in the Eastern Conference, and a Tatum return could help propel the team to a long playoff run. Tatum expressed doubts last month whether he might upset the team's chemistry by returning, but Brad Stevens, the team's president of basketball operations, said that was not a concern.
“Obviously, any team with Jayson Tatum’s going to be better,” Stevens said on Friday. “If he needs it, I’ll tell him every day. Because every team -- all 30 of us -- would be way, way better with him on the team.”
Stevens said Tatum still has “a ways to go,” and the team isn’t going to rush him.
“He’s hit a lot of the thresholds, he’s doing more and more and will continue to do more and more,” Stevens said. “There’s no pressure from us. But there’s also not going to be any of us saying, ‘Well, why don’t you just take another week?’ It’s going to be: When he’s ready, he’s ready.”
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, right, walks off the court after an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, left, applauds while seated alongside forward Jayson Tatum, who both did not play, during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
MILAN (AP) — Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso left his role “by mutual consent” on Friday, three days after the national team failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.
The Italian soccer federation announced the news in a statement thanking Gattuso “for the dedication and passion” during his nine months in charge.
Italy’s chances of reaching this year’s tournament in North America ended on Tuesday after a penalty shootout loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a qualifying playoff.
“With pain in my heart, not having achieved the goal we had set ourselves, I consider my experience on the national team bench to be over,” Gattuso said.
Gattuso’s departure comes a day after Italy’s soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina resigned along with Gianluigi Buffon, who was the national team’s delegation chief.
The defeat to Bosnia added more misery for four-time champion Italy after being eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively, in the qualifying playoffs for the last two World Cups.
Gattuso took over from the fired Luciano Spalletti in June with the squad already in crisis mode following a defeat at Norway in its opening qualifier.
The Azzurri then went on a six-match winning streak before another loss to Norway in November to finish second in their group and end up in the playoffs again.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso greets Federico Dimarco during the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)
Italy's coach Gennaro Gattuso directs his team during the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso gestures from the touchline during the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)
Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso gestures from the touchline during the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)
Italy's coach Gennaro Gattuso walks off the pitch after losing in a World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
