Kevin Durant’s Achilles injury doesn’t just change the tenor of the NBA Finals by depriving the Golden State Warriors of their best player. And it doesn’t just alter this summer’s NBA free agent market. The injury could affect the rest of Durant’s hall-of-fame career.
Athletes in a variety of sports have suffered Achilles tears, but returning to peak performance is a challenge, especially for those, like Durant, who are older than 30.
KOBE BRYANT
Before: Five NBA titles, two scoring titles, two MVP awards with the Lakers.
The injury: In the final moments of a Lakers win over Golden State in April 2013, Bryant drove to the basket, stumbled and hit the floor, grabbing at his left lower leg.