Kevin Durant Achilles Tendon Rupture

Editor: Daniel Wang

Kevin Durant Achilles Tendon Rupture

Kevin Durant, also known as “KD,” is arguably one of the best basketball players of our time, sporting an extensive array of athletic accolades, including being named NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), multiple NBA championship titles, as well as winning the gold medal each time he has participated in the Olympic Games for Team USA.

Early Career

Durant was born on September 29th, 1988, in Washington, D.C. From a young age, he was gifted at playing basketball. In high school, Durant grew close to his current height of 6’ 11 where he played as a powerhouse player for a variety of teams, attracting the attention of several collegiate coaches. 

Durant eventually committed to playing for the University of Texas as a small forward. Continuing his legacy of success, he received the award of Big 12 Tournament’s MVP by scoring a new record high of 92 points. Just one year after playing for the University of Texas, Durant was drafted to the NBA to play for the Seattle Supersonics as the second overall pick.

Prime Time

At the peak of what is known to be Durant's career, from the 2014–19 seasons, he was an unstoppable force. During this timeframe, KD sustained various injuries, forcing him to take multiple year-long breaks from any professional play. 

Combining his stature with the ball handling of a guard, Durant was a point scoring machine. While lacking in defense—which improved during his time with the Golden State Warriors—he remained extremely efficient at a high output, making Durant the top scorer in the NBA for the 2013–14 season. Durant rode this wave of success until one Raptors game in 2019. After having just returned from a calf strain, he tore his Achilles tendon.

The Snap

Clutching his right leg, Durant immediately knew he had ruptured his Achilles tendon. After the injury, Durant underwent surgery to stitch the tendon back together, due to it being a grade 3 tear. As Durant was also experiencing difficulty with his right calf, it is evident how this injury occurred: particularly his explosive playing style. In the 18 months Durant used to recover from this injury, he underwent lots of rehabilitation and physical therapy to be able to return to the court.

Comeback

Having returned so quickly from his injury, it was unprecedented how well Durant maintained his athleticism and continued to be one of the top scorers in the NBA. This brought his team, the Brooklyn Nets, to the finals, where they unfortunately lost to Milwaukee. 

However, Durant had earned the title of most points scored in a “game 7” of the final, highlighting his outstanding rebound from injury. He also played in several Olympics, where he won gold in 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024. He continues to play in the NBA to this day.

Conclusion

As a beacon of hope and one of the most legendary players in the NBA, Kevin Durant is an inspiration to aspiring NBA players, showing that there is hope for success despite sustaining severe injury. Durant embodies how determination and hard work can get one far if the right mindset and treatments are applied.