In an unexpected yet painful turn of events for the entire NBA community, Damian Lillard has torn his left Achilles tendon in Game 4. This injury serves as a fork-in-the-road chapter of his career. This injury hits home more than some of the other notable players’ injuries. Kevin Durant, for instance, faced a similar blow in the 2019 Finals when he was with the Golden State Warriors. As Lillard begins his recovery journey, insights from Durant’s experience may provide valuable lessons for athletes dealing with Achilles injuries.
Kevin Durant’s injury up in June of 2019, on an achingly important play in the NBA Finals. The impact of the tear kept him out for the entirety of the 2019-20 season, prompting surgery the following April. Following a grueling rehab process, Durant made his return to the court in December 2020 while 34 years old. His return was nothing short of phenomenal. He looked every bit as good as his pre-injury self. Even with him only playing in 35 games that season for other injuries, Durant’s mental fortitude and abilities were on full display.
The Achilles tendon connects the two large calf muscles to the foot. This key connection adds elasticity, increasing an athlete’s explosiveness and multidirectional movement. When an athlete ruptures their Achilles, they often experience a sharp kick. It’s a pretty horrible kick in the backside – like being kicked really hard in the back of the leg. This acute injury comes with a deeply convoluted and lengthy rehabilitation process. Recovery times can range from six months to a year and a half or more. It takes NBA athletes, on average, ten months to recover from Achilles tendon injuries.
Lillard’s injury places him squarely in a demographic that is often affected by these types of injuries—a subset of elite athletes, aged 34+. While there is no definitive evidence suggesting that Lillard’s several-week absence prior to the injury increased his risk, it is essential to recognize that factors such as age and prior health conditions can play a role in an athlete’s vulnerability to such injuries.
If and when he makes a full recovery, Lillard will always be acutely conscious of the biggest hurdle to overcome. Many athletes report that they do not fully regain their explosiveness until their second season back on the court following surgery. Durant’s professional development journey is a prime example of this growing trend. He did return to the game with great effectiveness, but continuing injury problems limited his minutes that year.
When evaluating Lillard’s chances of coming back, context from what happened with Durant are hopeful but a little concerning. Durant’s successful return serves as a testament to the potential for athletes to reclaim their former performance levels after such an injury. With steady recovery often comes a path full of twists, turns, and sometimes even roadblocks. Few expected the speed at which Bryant returned to the floor after rupturing his Achilles tendon. Even then, he struggled with explosiveness and not just the production itself.
The psychological component of returning from an Achilles’ injury should not be underestimated, either. So athletes not only need to cope with fears of re-injury but concern about what they’ll be able to do when they’re healthy again. For Lillard, though, traversing the new mental landscape will likely be just as important as the physical rehab he’ll go through.
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