
Kevin Durant tore his Achilles back in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals, causing him to miss the entirety of the next season. He even thought his career could've ended there.
But, notably, Durant bounced back and breathed new life into his NBA career. Since then, he's become a sounding board for any NBA stars who go through the same thing. Most recently, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles in May during the playoffs, and before that, Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard tore his Achilles at the end of April. Both of these players are in jeopardy of missing the 2025-26 campaign while they recover from the injury.