Kevin Durant Faces Long Recovery, Good Prognosis After Achilles Rupture, Experts Say
The ruptured Achilles tendon that took Golden State Warrior Kevin Durant out of the NBA Finals is a devastating injury that usually requires up to a year of recovery after surgery.
“Basketball’s the most stressful sport for the tendons, with all the jumping,” said Dr. David McAllister, Chief of the Sports Medicine Service at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine.
Durant had just returned to playing after being sidelined by a calf injury when the Achilles disaster played out on screens around the world during Game 5. The two-time champion was scoring basket after basket—and then suddenly he was sitting on the side of the court, clutching his leg.