Kevin Durant tore his Achilles back in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals, causing him to miss the entirety of the next season. He even thought his career could've ended there.
But, notably, Durant bounced back and breathed new life into his NBA career. Since then, he's become a sounding board for any NBA stars who go through the same thing. Most recently, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles in May during the playoffs, and before that, Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard tore his Achilles at the end of April. Both of these players are in jeopardy of missing the 2025-26 campaign while they recover from the injury.
Durant shared on this week's episode of Mind the Game with Steve Nash and LeBron James that these two players actually reached out to him since their injuries for advice.
"Of course, JT and Dame hit me up, I feel like I'm the Achilles guy," Durant joked. He believes both Tatum and Lillard will be able to return stronger than ever. "I think both of those dudes have shown time and time again that they're going to continue to elevate as individuals and as players. It's a grind, man."
Kevin Durant says he’s still rehabbing his Achilles & speaks on the advice he gave to Damian Lillard & Jayson Tatum pic.twitter.com/PMUQcVUOHR
— 2Cool2Blog (@2Cool2Blog) July 8, 2025
Nash, who coached the Brooklyn Nets from 2020-22 when Durant was playing there, added that Durant had to forever change his preparation and recovery for basketball after the Achilles tear, too. Nash saw firsthand what Durant had to go through during his year off while recovering, so he sympathized with Tatum and Lillard who are on that journey now.
It's likely helpful for Tatum and Lillard to have a fellow NBA star to lean on for advice and recovery tips during this difficult time. As Durant mentioned in the interview, it's probably the first time in their lives that they aren't playing basketball for a long length of time. But, as Durant said, both players should return sometime next year healthier and ready for the rest of their NBA careers.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Kevin Durant Had Funny Line About Helping Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard With Injuries.
