Kevin Durant Achilles Injury Marks Beginning Of The End?

The Warriors confirmed that Kevin Durant has sustained an Achilles injury, one which has drastically changed the course of the careers of some NBA stars.

Moments after Durant hurt himself in the middle of a play in game 5, reports claimed that the 30-year-old NBA superstar incurred a “right leg injury.” But after the game, Golden State Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers announced that the initial report stated that KD has sustained an Achilles injury, CBS Sports noted.

For most basketball fans, the Achilles injury seems to be synonymous with career-ending injury. And that is what sources are saying of Kevin Durant’s game 5 injury.

While there are no official statements from the doctors yet, the history of NBA stars who sustained the same injury is already enough for some to assume that KD is looking at the possibility of ending his glory days at this point.

According to Sporting News, the superstar could be looking at months of rehabilitation. And while it is hard to tell at this point how long KD will be out, the history of several players who have torn their Achilles shows that the average recovery time was close to nine months.

The reported suggested a familiar scenario which could happen to KD. The fact is that most NBA players who had the same injury were either never the same player they once were or eventually retired.

Among these NBA stars, only Rudy Gay was able to bring his ball skills back up to an acceptable level. As for DeMarcus Cousins, he still can’t seem to get back to his best form even after recovery. But the real worst-case scenario for KD’s case is the Achilles injury of Lakers star and five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant. Bryant was far from what he used to be after recovery, before eventually choosing to call it a career.

The existence of Bryant’s case surely made Durant’s fans cross their fingers. They have all the reason to, but for now, Durant is about to travel to New York to have his Achilles tendon checked.

After his team's game 5 win, KD’s toughest competition Kawhi Leonard has shared his thoughts concerning the 2018 Finals MVP’s situation.

Kawhi said that he was devastated, and he can relate to the hard work KD has put in to get back in the game. The Raptors star also revealed that he had once been in KD’s situation in the past, CBS Sports reported.

"It's devastating. You work so hard to get to this point, these are the last games, you see him try to come out and push himself, but obviously he tried to do a move, and I feel bad for him. I've been in that situation before,” Leonard said.