NBA superstar Kevin Durant was a recent guest on the “Mind the Game” podcast, hosted by LeBron James and Steve Nash. During the sit-down conversation, Durant discussed his 2019 Achilles injury and how it impacted his play style going forward. The 2014 MVP also spoke about recent NBA superstars who’ve suffered Achilles injuries, reflecting on the challenges that come with the recovery process.
“I’m still doing some of that stuff that I was doing in that rehab, your game and your body is going to change,” Durant said.
Durant’s play style certainly did change after the injury he suffered during the 2019 NBA Finals as a member of the Golden State Warriors. Durant endured the injury in June 2019 and didn’t play professional basketball again until December 2020 as a member of the Brooklyn Nets. Durant conveyed that he had to get his calf stronger and bigger so it could handle the rigorous movements required to be an asset on the court.
The 36-year-old forward hasn’t missed a beat when it comes to on-court production. Since the Achilles tear, Durant has averaged 27.7 points per game over the past six campaigns. Before the injury, Durant was much more explosive on drives to the rim, made sharp cuts to garner space between his defender, and often used the sidestep to get off his jump shot. An injury of this caliber has affected prominent basketball stars over the years, such as Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose and Breanna Stewart, and each of them struggled when they returned. An Achilles tear affects a player’s ability to shoot and jump, as the tendon is essential for both of those movements at a constant rate.
Nowadays, Durant’s playstyle is more finesse and he plays below the rim. Durant has mastered the mid-range jumper and is even more of a threat beyond the arc (41.5% since 2020-21). Fadeaways, the crossover pull-up jumper, and the ability to shoot from anywhere on the court make Durant a lethal scoring threat even in his late 30s.
As Durant turns 37 in September, he is still viewed as one of the premier scorers in the NBA.
As for Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (27) and Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (25), they have a good chance of being able to bounce back due to their youth. Damian Lillard, 34, is expected to have a much tougher road to returning to his former self as he reaches the later stages of his career. All three players tore their Achilles tendons during the 2025 playoffs.
“This is just a little stop in their journey that they will have to sit down and lock in. Once they truly grasp that they will be out for a year and that will take a few weeks for them to truly understand”, Durant said.
The Pacers already announced that Haliburton will not play in the 2025-26 season and it remains to be seen if Tatum will suit up at all next season. Lillard is currently on the free-agent market after being waived by the Bucks earlier this month. While teams are interested, Lillard should take his time to rehab fully.
Durant rehabbed his Achilles properly and didn’t rush to come back even though he could’ve played sooner. Durant averaged 26.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists in his first season back from injury.
“I just threw myself out there too, as soon as I could hoop I was playing. Ya know so once they throw themselves out there them dudes will be alright,” Durant added.
