Tatum says he hasn't touched a basketball during hiatus

It's been a long period of downtime for Jayson Tatum.

The Boston Celtics forward revealed on "The Jump" that he's been unable to hold a basketball during the NBA season's month-long hiatus.

"It's a difficult time right now, because it's not like it's the offseason and guys are able to work out and get in the gym," he told ESPN's Rachel Nichols on Monday. "I haven't been able to touch a basketball since our last game at Indiana.

"I got stuff to work out at home and cardio and weights and stuff. But yeah, I haven't played basketball in a long time."

Tatum was arguably the league's hottest player prior to the campaign's sudden stoppage.

The 22-year-old scored 29.5 points per game in his last 15 contests, highlighted by a 41-point performance in a Feb. 23 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. He was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for February.

Tatum said he considered asking the Celtics to lend him equipment but noted the weather conditions haven't been ideal for him to play outdoors.

The Celtics forward isn't the only NBA star who's been unable to stay game ready. As Nichols noted, Milwaukee Bucks forward and reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo admitted earlier this month that he's currently unable to access a hoop.

In order to address potential concerns by players regarding rust, the NBA has reportedly proposed a 25-day warmup window if the season is able to resume. The first 11 days would apparently consist of individual workouts, followed by a two-week training camp.