Hayward: Depression is more difficult than pain from injury

The road to recovery for Gordon Hayward is far from just physical.

The Boston Celtics small forward revealed he's been experiencing depression during rehab from his horrific leg injury. Moreover, he said the mental toll has "definitely" been more difficult to cope with than the pain from his dislocated left ankle and fractured tibia.

"It's been painful, but it's nothing like sitting around watching the team you were supposed to be playing with this year," said Wednesday on "The Dan Patrick Show."

"I signed to play for the Boston Celtics this year now to only sit and watch the Boston Celtics this year. That part has been difficult and much more difficult to deal with than the pain."

The 27-year-old All-Star said he won't be able to play again until he can run that backdoor alley-oop set play - which he's connected on so many times before with the Utah Jazz - without thinking about it twice.

"That's another hurdle at the end there where I may be physically 100 percent, but I have to be mentally there as well."

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Hayward meets with a sports psychologist once a week to help him stay positive. He wouldn't provide a timeline on when he'll be back, only saying he's focused on getting better every day so he can return as soon as possible - whether that's later this season or sometime the next.

"I work out every day to try to increase my range of motion and increase my strength in my legs so that I can be back as fast as I can," he said. "Whether that's this year or this summer or next year, I will just let that happen. But for sure, as a competitor, I'm just trying to come back faster than anyone has ever done it."

The 6-foot-8 forward signed with Boston over the offseason and suffered his gruesome injury just five minutes into his debut. He averaged 21.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and a steal last season.