Why NBA stars are struggling with Achilles injuries: Inside the anatomy and pressure of modern basketball

Time of India

16 hours ago

In the myths of old, Achilles—the warrior unmatched—was brought down by a single wound to his heel, the only part of his body untouched by divine protection. Today, on courts lit by LED lights instead of torches, basketball's finest meet a similar fate.
Not from enemies, but from within—from the very tendon that once fueled their flight.
This season, the NBA has witnessed an unsettling trend—its greatest athletes, men sculpted by repetition and resolve, collapsing without contact, clutching the back of their leg, eyes wide with disbelief. The 2025 NBA Finals were not spared. Tyrese Haliburton—Indiana's rising prince—fell in Game 7, the tendon in his right leg torn like a snapped lyre string.
Source: X
Dominique Wilkins, the Hall of Famer who once soared above defenders with grace, was not surprised. 'There's already some nagging pain that you don't think about beyond wear and tear,' Wilkins told The Athletic. 'I sympathize with him because the way he went down, it looked like he completely tore it.'
Haliburton became the third NBA All-Star to suffer an Achilles tear during the 2025 playoffs, and the seventh player across the league to do so this season.
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Wear, tear, and the unseen wars
What is pushing these players to the brink? The answer isn't singular—it is a storm of strain, repetition, and time.
Modern NBA players enter the league already worn down. Youth basketball, especially the year-round AAU circuit, has transformed childhood into nonstop competition. The result? Bodies that have performed like professionals long before they've signed a contract.
And then there's the game itself. Faster than ever, with relentless movement and impossible expectations.
Defenders close out harder. Offensive players sprint into space. Even the shoes—lightweight and low-cut—raise questions about support. But no single culprit explains it all.
Dr. Nicholas Strasser, an orthopedic surgeon and consultant to pro sports teams, recognized Halliburton's injury instantly. 'As soon as they showed the replay, you could see it as he took that, what they call, negative step,' Strasser said.
'You could almost see the recoil to it.'
A "negative step"—when a player plants their foot behind their body to accelerate—stretches the Achilles tendon to its limit. If that tendon is already worn or inflamed, it can rupture in an instant. No contact required. No warning given.
The tear that topples giants
To understand the gravity of these injuries, one must understand the tendon itself.
The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscles to the heel bone.
It powers every jump, every sprint, every cut across the court. When it tears—whether from years of wear or one fateful step—it often feels like a kick from behind. There is no graceful collapse.
Surgery typically takes under two hours. The athlete lies facedown, sedated, while surgeons suture tendon back to bone. But the real battle begins after the scalpel is set down.
In the first weeks, the foot must rest. Atrophy looms.
Slowly, weight is reintroduced. Muscle memory must be rebuilt from silence. Six weeks becomes twelve. Twelve becomes six months. For some, it becomes years.
Wilkins returned after 282 days—and stunned the world. But such stories are rare. Others—like Kobe Bryant, Patrick Ewing, even Kevin Durant—have struggled to reclaim their former dominance. Some return and thrive. Others never quite trust their bodies again.
Age plays a role. So does nutrition. So does time. Yet the tendon remains an enigma. It heals—but it never forgets.
The modern 'Achilles curse'
So why now? Why this sudden rash of ruptures?
The truth is somewhere between progress and pressure. Today's athletes train harder, play younger, rest less, and compete more. Specialization in basketball begins earlier than ever. Recovery is shortened to meet contracts and fan expectations. Even shoes, while sleeker and faster, may sacrifice stability.
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