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Let us take a look at other notable NBA superstars who have come back from a torn Achilles tendon.
Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum was the second player to fall victim to an Achilles injury this NBA playoffs (X)
The news of Jayson Tatum’s torn Achilles tendon is a heartbreaking setback for both the All-Star forward and the defending champion Boston Celtics. It also marks the second Achilles injury to shake the NBA playoffs this year.
Just a couple of weeks earlier, Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard—a seven-time All-NBA guard—suffered a similar fate, tearing his left Achilles during a tough loss to the Indiana Pacers on April 28.
Tatum, 27, sustained the injury Monday night against the New York Knicks. While chasing a loose ball, his leg suddenly gave out in a non-contact play. He immediately clutched at the area above his ankle, visibly in pain, with his face buried in a towel — a difficult sight for teammates and fans alike — burying the Celtics’ playoff hopes along with it.
My concern is a torn right Achilles tendon for Jayson Tatum.Pushed off, leg gave out, immediately grabbed, writhing in pain.
Couldn’t bear any weight on it and needed to be wheelchaired off.
Other injuries (ankle sprain, fracture) are possible but unlikely.
SMH pic.twitter.com/ipBkSNYFsg
— Jesse Morse, M.D. (@DrJesseMorse) May 13, 2025
Karl-Anthony Towns on Jayson Tatum’s potential Achilles injury:“I’ve been in a situation like that with my calf. If you saw, I just walked up, obviously respectful of his space. I just put my head down and prayed to my mother, prayed to God to put protection over him and… pic.twitter.com/PffMwXUER2
— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) May 13, 2025
The Knicks won 121-113 to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals. The series resumes Wednesday in Boston with the Celtics needing to win to stay alive in the playoffs.
Let us take a look at other notable NBA superstars who have come back from a torn Achilles tendon:
Kobe Bryant
Post-Injury Stats: Averaged ~18 PPG in 2014–15. Career FG% dropped, but he still had memorable games — including his 60-point farewell game in 2016.
When Kobe Bryant collapsed to the hardwood on April 12, 2013, clutching his left Achilles, it felt like the air had been sucked out of Staples Center. But, in classic Mamba fashion, he stayed on the court long enough to knock down two free throws before walking off — a moment that’s become folklore among fans.
The late Basketball Hall of Famer returned to the court with the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 8, 2013, at age 35. Bryant played only six games before a knee injury forced him to miss the rest of the season. Bryant averaged 22.3 points in only 35 games in 2014-15 and 17.6 points in 66 games in his last season in 2015-16.
Kevin Durant
Post-Injury Stats: 2020–21: 26.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 5.6 APG (on 53.7% shooting). Maintained All-NBA level play, showing elite efficiency and scoring touch. Played in multiple All-Star Games post-injury and is still a premier NBA scorer.
Kevin Durant tore his Achilles in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals while playing for the Golden State Warriors — a catastrophic moment that shifted the series and raised serious questions about the future of one of the game’s most gifted scorers.
He missed a full season and came back with the Brooklyn Nets on Dec. 22, 2020, at age 32. Durant hasn’t played more than 55 games in any season since his return but he’s been elite, averaging 28.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.7 assists in three seasons since the injury.
Dominique Wilkins
Post-Injury Stats: 1992–93: 29.9 PPG (All-NBA Second Team). Played several more productive years in the NBA and overseas.
Long before modern sports medicine evolved, Dominique Wilkins tore his Achilles on January 28, 1992 at age 32 — a career death sentence by most standards. But “The Human Highlight Reel” returned the next season and exceeded his pre-injury scoring average.
The Basketball Hall of Famer returned to the court with the Atlanta Hawks on Nov. 6, 1992, just two months shy of turning 33. Wilkins averaged 29.9 points in his first season back and played seven more years, including two stints overseas.
(with agency inputs)
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