Gordon Hayward: 'The future is definitely bright for our team here'

WALTHAM — Gordon Hayward met with the media for the first time Thursday since his injury and talked about what happened, his rehab and what he thinks of the Celtics without him.

Here are most of his comments:

On being back: It feels good to talk in front of you guys and get out of the house a little bit. Definitely a little more mobile than I was a week ago, two weeks ago. On the road to recovery and ready to attack that.

On if he knew he was in trouble in the air on the play: Yeah, I could feel it when I was up in the air. There's definitely like a half second when you realize you're going to land a little awkwardly. They try to teach you how to fall, and you kind of learn that over the years to fall the right way, but for whatever reason, my leg was caught underneath me and there wasn't much I could do.

On the importance of being around his teammates: I think more and more, through the rehab process I'll be with the guys. I haven't had a chance to be with them too much recently. I think yesterday was really one of the few times that I saw them and got a chance to be around them a little bit. It's going to be really important for me and my mental health to stay involved, still be apart of the team as much as I can. I can be in the locker room and I can see different things watching the film that maybe they can't out on the court and I can try to help them. That will help me as well.



How's shooting out of a chair?: (laughs) It's a little bit different than shooting standing up; I feel pretty short. But just to be out on the court and have the basketball ... that was an incredible feeling just to kind of start that process. For two weeks I was just in a bed with my foot up for the longest time. Those hours feel like they last forever because you're just laying there and you're bored and you can't do much. Just to be out on the court, doing whatever I can with a basketball — that's what I love to do — that was fun. Looking forward to continuing to do that.

Have you seen the video? If not, will you ever see it?: Yeah, I have seen the play. It was kind of hard not to see it with the social media that we have today. The first thing I saw was the picture of it. I have a lasting image in my mind to begin with of rolling over and looking at it. It was just an unfortunate play.

On his reaction to the injury, and the support he's received: Obviously just devastated. Felt like I put in so much work to get ready for this season, made a pretty tough decision to come here to Boston to play, one that I still definitely don't regret by any means but definitely wanted it to go differently as my first game as a Celtic. Just devastated, I guess, that I wouldn't be able to contribute, I wouldn't be able to have the season that I wanted to have, and then after that settles, just kind of overwhelmed with the support that was shown from all kinds of athletes from all kinds of sports. I think it shows the brotherhood that athletes in general have, and other celebrities too that reached out. Couldn't believe that people were watching and cared enough to send a tweet. I'm sure they have better things (to do). At the end of the day, it's just a basketball injury and people who are going through way, way worse.

On other athletes who have gone through similar injuries: Paul George was a guy who texted me when it happened, and we've had a good relationship since we were drafted in the same class. I was there in the gym when he did his leg, and I know he knows firsthand what it's going to be like, what it's going to take to get back to 100 percent. We've talked back and forth. I'm sure he's somebody I can lean on because the mental side is, he says, the toughest part. You can't get out there and play, and it doesn't go as fast you want it to go. So that's something that's going to be a challenge. ... I think it's extremely helpful. ... Paul is still having a tremendous career and came back better than ever.

Brad Stevens' support: There were probably like 20 people there but Brad wanted to make sure that he was one of the ones who carried me up the stairs. That's just the type of person he is. Went out to eat with him this morning. He's one of the big reasons why I came here. He's a great human being and a great person, and wants to include me still. He's going to have different things for me to do.

On the team: I think watching the team, I think we're playing really good defensively right now, and I think we should play really good defensively. We have the length, we have smart basketball players, we're able to disrupt teams with switching and with some of our athleticism and things that we can do. I think we're competing and playing extremely hard. That's the first step. There are definitely some teams that we can improve on, and tomorrow's game will be a big test for us. But there are definitely a lot of things that you watch. There are definitely things that make you smile just with the talent that we have on the team. The future is definitely bright for our team here.

On the injury: ... It happened, you can't take it back. As much as I want to rewind it and go out the other way, it's something I have to deal with and I might as well deal with it now.

Holding out any hope to return this season?: I'm putting zero expectations on myself as far as a timetable. For me, I want to get better today. Right after this, I'm going to do some rehab and some chair shooting, and that's what I'm focused on.

On how he's spending his time: I get a chance to spend way more time with my girls. Maybe I'm in the way a little bit too much with my wife. She has to take care of three kids now, instead of just two. But I think the days are going to go by much faster now since I'm able to come to the gym and I'm able to be around the team a little bit more.

On his treatment: I'm a pretty skeptical person and I question a lot, so I grilled him and I wanted to make sure he wasn't just feeding me lines to just keep my spirits up. The doctors were unbelievable at New England Baptist and Dr. Porter in Indianapolis in showing how I was going to recover, why I was going to recover. Telling me about different athletes that had done the exact same thing and where they are now. They said, 'If you're going to have a horrific injury, this was the one to have.' So I'll take that I guess.

On his kids: My two little ones, they don't know what's going on. They know I'm home a little bit more. They know daddy has a boo boo. It does kind of put things in perspective. For them, it's not that big of a deal. I have a scooter at home, that's another toy for them to play with and another thing they can get hurt on more than anything.

On the young players stepping up and whether he'll be on the bench: I got a chance to talk to them yesterday for a little bit. I definitely made sure to praise them but at the same time, I got after them for some of the things I saw that they need to do better. They're playing well right now, and they're being asked to do a lot at 20, 21 and however young they are, they have a responsibility. I think this is going to be great for their careers. There is nothing better in the NBA than experience and meaningful experiences, which I think this team — we're young, but we're ready to win — they're going to be in situations that will help them, and us in the future.

As far as being on the bench, I'm basically doing what I'm allowed to do. So I'm hoping I'll be able to do that. I think it will take a little bit of time, but for sure hoping.