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Roseanne Barr felt 'betrayed' by John Goodman over his reduced role on their hit sitcom
Roseanne Barr is opening up about the dynamics behind the scenes of her hit sitcom "Roseanne."
During a recent episode of "The Roseanne Barr Podcast," the 73-year-old comedian spoke with Michael Malice about John Goodman's decision to scale back his appearances on the show in the later seasons.
When Malice asked if that decision left her feeling "betrayed," Barr admitted that it did.
"I don't think I heard it from his agent, I think I heard it from the producers of the show actually [that] he doesn't want to be on the show anymore," she explained. "I think they said he'll do six of the 24 or something like that."
JENNETTE MCCURDY ADMITS HOLLYWOOD REWARDS DISHONESTY, CALLS INDUSTRY ‘HORRIFYING’
Although she felt betrayed, Barr said she kept things "professional" and kept her personal feelings separate from her work on the show.
"None of them supported me in any of the s--- I went through the first show and I just had to sweep it aside and do the show. Always," she added. "I kind of learned to not speak to anybody on the set when we were filming in a one-to-one personal thing. I was always the character. When we went to work, I was always the character. That's even when I'd break to go get a cup of coffee, I was still the character."
"Roseanne" is often regarded as one of the most influential television shows of the 1980s and 90s, airing on ABC for nine seasons from 1988 to 1997, earning Barr an Emmy and Golden Globe Award.
Its popularity stemmed from the show's subject matter, as it portrayed a blue-collar family, highlighting their money troubles and often mixing serious and comedic topics.
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During the podcast, Malice asked Barr why she doesn't find it fun to share her stories from her heyday in Hollywood, to which her son and sometimes co-host, Jake Pentland, said, "She doesn't think that being famous is interesting."
"Plus, I think what I say about it isn't interesting to people because it's so dark and horrifying, and they want to think, and then she got famous and lived happily ever [after]. Like I hate to tell you this, but it was a walk into the f---ing pits of hell surrounded by demons. Sorry to blow your f---ing fantasy as well," she added.
Due to the popularity of the original show, "Roseanne" was rebooted in 2018, with much of the original cast returning, but was canceled after one season after Barr compared former Obama administration advisor Valerie Jarrett to an ape in a racist tweet.
Following their decision to cancel the reboot, ABC announced a spin-off called "The Conners," in which Barr's character was said to have died of an opioid overdose.
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"When they killed my character off, that was a message to me, knowing that I'm mentally ill or have mental health issues, that they did want me to commit suicide," Barr told the Los Angeles Times in February 2023."They killed my character, and my character. And all of that was to say thank you for bringing 28 million viewers, which they never had before and will never see again. Because they can kiss my a--."
Russian missile strike kills 10 in Ukraine as Trump says 'hatred' between countries complicating peace deal
A Russian ballistic missile strike on a residential building in Kharkiv, Ukraine, killed at least 10 people, including two children, and wounded 16 others Saturday, officials said.
The strike was part of a broader overnight assault in which Russia launched 29 missiles and 480 drones targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure, with damage reported in Kyiv and at seven other locations across the country, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy called for an international response following the attack.
"There must be a response from partners to these savage strikes against life. I thank everyone who will not remain silent. Russia has not abandoned its attempts to destroy Ukraine’s residential and critical infrastructure, and therefore support must continue," he said in a post on X.
"We count on active work with the European Union to guarantee greater protection for our people," he added. "I am grateful to everyone who helps strengthen our protection."
Preliminary Ukrainian data showed air defense systems downed 19 missiles and 453 drones, while nine missiles and 26 strike drones hit 22 locations.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said the strikes targeted Ukrainian military factories, energy facilities and air bases.
TRUMP SAYS 'HATRED' BETWEEN PUTIN, ZELENSKYY BLOCKING UKRAINE PEACE DEAL
Speaking Saturday at the Shield of the Americas Summit in Doral, Florida, President Donald Trump said the "hatred" between Russia and Ukraine was complicating efforts to reach a peace deal.
"It's so great that, you know, Ukraine, Russia, you'd think there would be a little bit of camaraderie, [but] there’s not. And the hatred is so great. It's very hard for them to get there. It's very, very hard to get there. So we'll see what happens," Trump said. "But we've been close a lot of times and one or the other would back out."
"But we're losing, you know, they're losing, you know, doesn't really affect us very much because we've got an ocean separating. I'm doing it as a favor to Europe, and I'm doing it as a favor to life because they're losing 25,000 souls," Trump added. "Think of that every month. 25,000. Last month, 31,000. Both sides, 31,000 people died, mostly soldiers."
Last month, Zelenskyy told Fox News that Russia is trying "to play with the president of the United States" and stalling U.S.-brokered efforts to end the war.
Fox News Digital's Greg Norman-Diamond and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump says US, Israel shattered Iranian military capabilities, presses leaders to surrender: 'Cry uncle'
President Donald Trump on Saturday said that U.S. and Israeli forces have "wiped out" Iran’s navy, air force and much of its missile capability in just one week of war, declaring the regime’s military "almost non-existent" as he continues to press Tehran to surrender for "a much safer world."
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, the president said the sweeping offensive has exceeded expectations, noting Iran's navy "is now at the bottom of the sea."
"We've wiped out their Navy — 44 ships. We've wiped out their air force — every plane. We've wiped out most of their missiles — you see their missiles aren't coming much anymore," Trump said.
He added military strikes have hit missile manufacturing areas "very hard," and the country's drone capacity is "way down."
HERE COME THE BIG BOMBS AS US ESCALATES STRIKES ON IRAN'S HUGE MILITARY ARSENAL
The president said he is seeking an "unconditional surrender" from Iran, explaining the term means "they cry uncle, or when they can't fight any longer."
"Or there's nobody around to cry uncle to, because we wiped out their leadership numerous times already," he continued. "It's if they surrender, or if there is nobody around to surrender, but they're rendered useless in terms of military [capabilities]."
Discussing atrocities allegedly carried out by the regime, Trump said the war was 47 years coming and "no president had the guts to do it."
"They are about the most evil people ever on Earth," he said. "They cut babies' heads off. They chop women in half. Take a look at October 7th, take a look at what they've done over the last 47 years. … When this ends, we're going to have a much safer world."
Despite concerns about rising gas prices on the home front, Trump said he is not worried.
TRUMP AND FIRST LADY ATTEND DIGNIFIED TRANSFER FOR 6 US TROOPS KILLED IN KUWAIT
"They'll come down very fast, and we will have gotten rid of a major, major cancer on the face of the earth," the president said. "We'll have taken out a cancer. … What we're doing is a great thing, not only for our country, not only for Israel, not only for the Middle East, but for the world."
It is unclear if ground troops will be sent to secure the enriched uranium at Iranian nuclear sites targeted by joint forces, though the president described the attacks as "a total obliteration."
"They haven't been able to get to it, and at some point, maybe we will be," he said. "It would be a great thing, but right now, we're just decimating them. We haven't gone after it, but [it's] something we could do later."
Trump concluded by calling the war "a minor excursion" that in the end will make the world a safer place.
"When this ends, we're going to have a much safer world, you know, so, you know, this is a minor excursion," he said. "And we will have gotten rid of a lot of sick and demented people, the leadership. So we got rid of one leadership. We got rid of the second level of leadership. Now they're on that third or fourth level of leadership. And they have leaders right now that nobody even knows who they are."
Longtime Blackhawks great and broadcaster Troy Murray dies at 63, team says
Former Chicago Blackhawks standout Troy Murray, who transitioned to the broadcast booth after his playing career, has died, the team announced Saturday. He was 63.
The Blackhawks said he died earlier in the day.
It’s unclear where Murray spent his final moments. Murray publicly disclosed his cancer diagnosis in August 2021. While he revealed he had been undergoing chemotherapy, details about the type of cancer he was fighting were kept private.
Murray, affectionately known as "Muzz," continued to appear on Blackhawks broadcasts during his cancer battle, though his appearances eventually tapered off. He stepped away from the booth entirely ahead of the 2025-26 NHL season.
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For more than a decade, Murray starred at center for the Blackhawks. CEO Danny Wirtz said the loss of one of the franchise's most respected leaders left the team "deeply heartbroken."
"Troy was the epitome of a Blackhawk so far beyond his incredible playing career, with his presence felt in every corner of our organization over the last 45 years," Wirtz said.
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"During his long and hard battle with cancer, it was often said that Troy didn't have any 'give up' in him," Wirtz added. "While our front office won't be the same without him, we will carry that spirit forward every day in his honor. We'll miss you, Troy."
After 12 seasons with the Blackhawks, Murray finished his NHL career with the Colorado Avalanche, winning the 1996 Stanley Cup.
After spending the following season with the International Hockey League Chicago Wolves, Murray stayed in the city to begin his broadcasting career in 1998. Murray was also named the president of the Blackhawks alumni association.
"Troy Murray is remembered for not only his contributions on the ice, but for his professionalism and humility and dedication to the city of Chicago," the team said in a release. "He leaves behind a lasting legacy within the Blackhawks family and the broader hockey world."
From Calgary, Alberta, Murray topped 20 goals five times, but he also became known for his defensive play. In 1986, he became the Blackhawks' first player to win the NHL's Frank J. Selke Trophy, the award for the league's top defensive forward.
Murray finished with 197 goals in 688 games over two stints with the Blackhawks and also played for the Winnipeg Jets, Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins. Overall, he had 230 goals in 915 career games.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Caitlin Clark eyes US national team debut after injuries derailed her WNBA season
Anticipation is building as Caitlin Clark prepares for her first competitive action with the U.S. women’s national team. The Indiana Fever star is set to take the court in next week’s FIBA World Cup qualifier in Puerto Rico.
A string of injuries sidelined Clark for much of the past eight months, limiting the NCAA’s all-time scoring leader to 13 games in her second WNBA season.
Clark’s last WNBA appearance came in July. She said Saturday she may be rusty and slightly nervous for the qualifier.
"It'll probably take me a second to knock a little bit of the rust off," she said.
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"I'll probably be a little bit nervous, which, I usually don't get nervous, but that probably comes from I haven't really played basketball in a while."
But Clark projected that any rust would quickly wear off.
"I'm sure after the first minute of running around on the court, I'll be just fine. But more than anything, just really excited. I know how much work and how much time I put in to make sure my body's as healthy as it can be and to get back."
CAITLIN CLARK: CBA NEGOTIATION IS 'BIGGEST MOMENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE WNBA'
Clark’s injury setbacks last year included a groin strain followed by an ankle bone bruise. The Fever’s medical staff closely monitored her recovery as she worked toward returning to the court.
Clark suggested that adversity has only reinforced her reliance on preparation and discipline.
"I've always been a person that's going to just rely on my work. I feel like it's certainly made me work harder," the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year said, referencing her injury setbacks.
"But that's also probably the part that kind of stunk about it is I felt like I put in so much time and so much energy going into last season and then, obviously, only appeared in about 13 games."
Clark did not compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but she reflected on the experience of seeing Team USA jerseys as a teenager and how that moment helped shape her dream of one day wearing one herself.
"My eyes were so wide. Thought it was the coolest thing in the world of all," she said. "[To see] the senior national jerseys of great men's players and women's players. It's a 15- or 16-year-old's dream of doing that one day."
With the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on the horizon, Clark said she remains focused on steady progress rather than looking too far ahead.
"There's a lot to get to that point," she said. "Obviously, that's my goal, the World Cup before that. There's a lot for me to learn."
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Trump tells Starmer aircraft carriers no longer needed in Mideast, accuses him of joining war US 'already won'
President Donald Trump on Saturday slammed British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, saying he was joining the war in Iran after the U.S. has "already won."
"The United Kingdom, our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer — But we will remember. We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!"
Trump’s statement came after the U.K. Ministry of Defense said that one of the country’s two aircraft carriers had been placed on advanced readiness in Portsmouth, England, for a possible mobilization to the Middle East, according to the BBC.
A British destroyer, HMS Dragon, is also in Portsmouth, waiting to leave for Cyprus after delays.
FARAGE SLAMS BRITISH PRIME MINISTER FOR ‘EXTRAORDINARY’ LACK OF SUPPORT FOR TRUMP'S IRAN STRIKES
Starmer said that while the U.K. wasn’t involved in the strikes, it is "operating defensively in the region."
In an address to the British people Sunday, Starmer condemned "indiscriminate" attacks by Iran after the U.S. strikes, adding, "The only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at source."
TRUMP SLAMS STARMER AS ‘NOT WINSTON CHURCHILL’ FOR REFUSAL TO BACK IRAN STRIKES
He added that Britain has agreed to the United States’ request to use British bases for that "limited" purpose.
After the strikes, Trump told the Telegraph in the U.K. he was "very disappointed" in Starmer, claiming it "took far too long" for the prime minister to allow the U.S. to use British bases in the region.
British fighter jets are also flying over Jordan, Cyprus and Qatar to strengthen defense in the region, and a Merlin helicopter is on the way for additional airborne surveillance, according to the Ministry of Defense.
"While the region has been plunged into chaos, my focus is providing calm, levelheaded leadership in the national interest," Starmer said this week. "That means deploying our military and diplomatic strength to protect our people.
"And it means having the strength to stand firm by our values and our principles, no matter the pressure to do otherwise. The longstanding British position is that the best way forward for the regime and world is a negotiated settlement with Iran where they give up their nuclear ambitions."
He said that's why he decided the U.K. would not join the initial coordinated strikes launched by the U.S. and Israel Feb. 28.
In Parliament this week, Starmer added, "We all remember the mistakes of Iraq, and we have learned those lessons. Any U.K. actions must always have a lawful basis, and a viable, thought-through plan," Starmer said. "This government does not believe in regime change from the skies."
Former British Prime Minister Liz Truss reposted Trump's Saturday Truth Social comments on X, writing, "Justified and damning."
Fox News Digital has reached out to Starmer’s office for comment.
Arizona governor vetoes Charlie Kirk memorial license plate, sparking GOP outrage: ‘This bill falls short’
Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs is facing fierce backlash after vetoing a bill that would have created a specialty license plate honoring slain Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, a move Republicans are blasting as a stunning act of partisanship after his assassination.
Kirk, who was assassinated while speaking at a Sept. 10 Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University, lived in Arizona with his wife, Erika, and two children.
The proposed specialty plate, referred to as the "Charlie Kirk memorial" plate or the "Conservative grassroots network special plate," featured a photo of the late Kirk and the TPUSA logo in front of an American flag background.
Below the license plate number were the words "FOR CHARLIE."
STATE DEPARTMENT REVOKES SIX VISAS OVER OFFENSIVE CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION COMMENTS
Of the $25 fee required for the plate, $17 would be an annual donation deposited into the Conservative Grassroots Network Special Plate Fund, according to the legislation.
While the recipient of the Grassroots Network Special Plate Fund was not explicitly designated as TPUSA in the bill, it noted the director of the fund would allocate revenue annually to a nonprofit organization, founded in 2012, that focuses on restoring traditional values, maintaining a grassroots activist network on high school and college campuses in Arizona, and assisting college students with voter registration and absentee ballots.
TPUSA, founded by Kirk in 2012, is well known for its grassroots activist networks on high school and college campuses. It is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.
The $25 fee and annual $17 donation are consistent with the fees for the other 109 nonprofit license plates offered by the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT).
‘WE ARE NOT AFRAID’: ERIKA KIRK VOWS TPUSA WILL CONTINUE CAMPUS DEBATES NATIONWIDE
The state Senate passed the bill, 16-2, with the House of Representatives voting 31-23 in favor prior to Hobbs' veto.
Specialty plates in Arizona are authorized by the legislature and sent to the governor to be signed into law. They have been offered since 1989.
In a letter explaining the veto, Hobbs cited concerns with the bill "bring[ing] people together," claiming it would "insert politics into a function of government that should remain nonpartisan."
ERIKA KIRK BATTLES FOR CAMERAS IN COURTROOM WHILE EXPANDING TPUSA CHAPTERS IN NEW STATE PARTNERSHIP
"Charlie Kirk’s assassination is tragic and a horrifying act of violence," Hobbs wrote. "In America, we resolve our political differences at the ballot box. No matter who it targets, political violence puts us all in harm’s way and damages our sacred democratic institutions.
"I will continue working toward solutions that bring people together, but this bill falls short of that standard."
Specialty license plates with political interests already approved by the state include the "Choose Life" Plate, which benefits the Arizona Life Coalition and its mission to promote anti-abortion advocacy and education; the "In God We Trust" Plate, which benefits conservative Christian legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom; and the Arizona Realtors' "Homes for All" Plate, which funds affordable housing projects.
DEMOCRAT JOHN FETTERMAN DECRIES 'DEHUMANIZING' ATTACK AGAINST CHARLIE KIRK'S WIDOW ERIKA
Another approved plate, "Alice Cooper's Solid Rock Plate," which benefits Solid Rock Teen Centers, features a portrait of the legendary musician, who has made political comments about social issues including gender identity.
Republican state Sen. Jake Hoffman, who sponsored the bill, posted a fiery statement on social media after the governor's action, claiming her "grotesque partisanship knows no bounds."
"Even in the wake of a global civil rights leader — an Arizona resident and her own constituent — being assassinated in broad daylight for his defense of the First Amendment, Hobbs couldn’t find the human decency to put her far-Left extremism aside simply to allow those how wish to honor him to do so," Hoffman wrote. "Katie Hobbs will forever be known as a stain on the pages of Arizona’s story."
On Saturday, TPUSA COO Tyler Bowyer shared an X post that said, "Deport Katie Hobbs."
TPUSA, Bowyer and Hobbs' office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.
NYC Mayor Mamdani’s wife liked social media post calling Oct 7 sexual violence investigation a ‘hoax’: report
The wife of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing renewed scrutiny after a report that she liked a social media post dismissing an investigation into sexual violence committed during the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack in Israel as a "mass rape" hoax.
Rama Duwaji allegedly liked a February 2024 Instagram post claiming The New York Times’ investigation into sexual violence during the Oct. 7 attack was "fabricated," according to The Free Press.
The report adds to a series of controversial social media interactions by Duwaji that have surfaced in recent days.
Duwaji, a Houston-born illustrator who identifies as Syrian and married Mamdani in early 2025, also liked several posts in the immediate aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack that appeared critical of Israel, Jewish Insider first reported.
ISRAEL ACCUSES MAMDANI OF POURING 'ANTISEMITIC GASOLINE' AFTER HE REVOKES ADAMS EXECUTIVE ORDERS
One post — shared the day of the attack by the Instagram account "The Slow Factory" — featured an image of a bulldozer breaching a barrier separating Israel from Gaza and people riding on top of a captured Israeli Defense Force (IDF) vehicle.
Text over the images said, "Breaking the walls of apartheid and military occupation" and "Resisting apartheid since 1948," along with the slogan, "Systemic change for collective liberation."
As of Saturday, Duwaji’s like on that post remained publicly visible.
Additional posts she engaged with were shared by the Instagram account The People’s Forum and included promotion of anti-Israel protests, calls to cut U.S. aid to Israel and activist organizing efforts.
One post Duwaji liked included the slogan "from the river to the sea," which Jewish Insider noted is "often understood as calling for the total elimination of Israel from the lands between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea."
A City Hall spokesperson told Jewish Insider that "Mayor Mamdani has been clear and consistent: Hamas is a terrorist organization, October 7th was a horrific war crime and he has condemned that violence unequivocally."
When asked about his wife’s social media activity during a news conference on Friday, Mamdani described Duwaji as "a private person."
JEWISH SAFETY IN NEW YORK DEPENDS ON CLEAR LINES AND MORAL COURAGE FROM MAMDANI
"My wife is the love of my life, and she's also a private person who has held no formal position on my campaign or in my City Hall," Mamdani said. "I, however, was elected to represent all 8.5 million people in the city, and I believe that it's my responsibility, because of that role, to answer any questions about my thoughts and my policies and my decisions."
Mamdani's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Fox News Digital's Marc Tamasco contributed to this report.
Audiobooks surge as travel favorite, helping fuel debate over what 'counts' as reading
From long drives to delayed flights and crowded commutes, more Americans are now reaching for headphones over hardcovers, and it has sparked debate over whether their audiobooks really count as reading.
Since 2016, the percentage of Americans who listen to audiobooks daily has risen from 3% to 8% — a 167% increase — according to Edison Research. And 51% of adults say they have listened to an audiobook at least once, according to the Audio Publishers Association’s 2025 consumer survey.
But traditionalists insist that reading requires eyes on a page. More than 40% of Americans believe listening to an audiobook is less rigorous and doesn’t truly count as reading, a 2025 NPR-Ipsos poll found.
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Others, however, argue the suggestion that audiobooks "don’t count" feels dismissive.
"Surely 'reading' is about enjoying the art of storytelling, and audiobooks allow that," said Ali Smith, a Maryland-based dog trainer and avid audiobook listener.
While she wishes she had time to sit and read an actual book, audiobooks better suit her busy life.
"Telling me that's not reading as I listen to stories about dragons, fairies, knights and gnolls is just not true," Smith told Fox News Digital.
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Some experts agree, while others argue that the distinction is not so simple.
"The brain area we call the 'letter box,' which processes print, is not as engaged when you listen," cognitive neuroscientist Nadine Gaab of Harvard Graduate School of Education in Massachusetts recently told The Harvard Gazette.
"But it has been shown that when some people listen to words, they visualize them, so the letter box gets activated."
Both listening and reading can activate the brain’s main language comprehension systems, agreed Emily Levy, a literacy expert and founder of EBL Coaching, which serves New York and New Jersey.
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"When someone listens to an audiobook or reads print, the comprehension parts of the brain show similar activation," Levy told Fox News Digital.
Yet she cautions that calling the two experiences identical would be an oversimplification.
Reading print also engages visual networks, including areas involved in decoding letters and recognizing word patterns, skills that are especially important for children learning to read. Audiobooks, on the other hand, rely on auditory processing systems.
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"If a child needs to build their decoding or reading fluency skills, listening to audiobooks won’t do the trick," Levy said.
That nuance is often lost in online debates, where opinions can be strong and deeply personal.
Zack Barnes, an associate professor of literacy at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee, considers audiobooks a legitimate form of reading.
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"When we are listening to an audiobook, you are still trying to extract meaning from the text that is being read aloud to you," Barnes said. "You are still doing a complex cognitive task by listening to audiobooks."
Barnes added that audiobooks can serve as a gateway, motivating some listeners to pick up a physical book and build actual reading stamina.
Others argue that the context matters. Listening while driving or multitasking can divide attention, potentially affecting retention of fine details.
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Traveling can be especially distracting, said Bob Hutchins, CEO of Human Voice Media and a Ph.D. researcher focused on how technology shapes psychology. But he argues that debates over audiobooks tend to miss the bigger picture.
"Instead, we should be examining how each type of media impacts cognition during the process of absorbing information," Hutchins, based in Nashville, told Fox News Digital.
He notes that reading print allows a person to control pace, reread passages and even remember where information appeared on a page.
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"Audios connect us to our past traditions of hearing a voice tell a story," Hutchins said. "Printed materials anchor our minds in analytical thinking."
Research suggests audiobooks may also work well for storytelling and basic information, while print can offer advantages when grappling with more complex material, Psychology Today reported.
Experts agree that the debate should therefore shift away from whether audiobooks "count" as reading and toward what listeners want to gain from the experience.
For those on the move like Smith, who says audiobooks help her keep her "sanity" as she paces her house at 2 a.m. trying to get her baby to sleep, pressing play remains the practical choice and one she is not embarrassed about.
"I’m proud of my audiobook listens," she said.
Celtics' Jayson Tatum details Achilles comeback, reflects on mental hurdles leading up to NBA season debut
It’s been 10 months since Jayson Tatum last suited up for the Boston Celtics in an NBA game. That stretch ended Friday night, when the star forward made his 2025-26 debut against the Dallas Mavericks.
Before the game, Tatum acknowledged he was bracing for a flood of emotions as he prepared to return.
"Stepping onto the court for the first time, I might be emotional, but I'll be excited," he said. "I'll be anxious. And I'll just be proud of myself that I made it to that point. There's been some long days over the last 42 weeks."
Tatum delivered a double-double in his quicker-than-expected return from the Achilles injury he suffered during a playoff game against the New York Knicks. He scored 15 points and pulled down 12 rebounds in 27 minutes as the Celtics beat the Mavericks 120-100 Friday night.
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After the win, Tatum opened up about the hurdles he cleared to get back on the court.
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"It was surreal. It was an emotional day. It’s been a long journey. God is the greatest, getting me to this point. Many days I dreamed about this and for it to finally happen and share with my family, my teammates, the crowd. It was everything I could have dreamed of," Tatum said.
While he learned he was medically cleared in February, Tatum said his mental readiness took longer.
"Physically, you're clear, you can do all the things," he said. "But it's a long time that I haven't competed or played in a game. That mental hurdle is a real thing."
Tatum was visibly emotional in the locker room moments after suffering the injury May 12.
But he worked through long stretches of physical therapy, workouts and the lingering pain of his injury.
"I've worked relentlessly to get back to myself, to get back to 100%, to go out there and compete."
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