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Knowing that Kevin Durant has come back from a catastrophic Achilles tendon injury, Villanova coach Jay Wright reached out to him to talk to Justin Moore. Durant then contacted Moore, who suffered the injury Saturday, just as the Wildcats were clinching a Final Four spot.
The Villanova Wildcats lost their starting shooting guard Justin Moore in the final minute of a 50-44 Elite Eight win over the Houston Cougars. The sophomore standout was devastated by the injury and was highly emotional as his team tried to celebrate the victory.
Wright decided to reach out to Durant because of the injury he suffered in a huge setting – the 2019 NBA Finals. Wright said the Brooklyn Nets superstar spoke with Moore about the recovery process.
According to Wright, Durant encouraged Moore that NBA teams have more experience dealing with these types of injuries. Durant said the injuries are less career-threatening than before. Wright said Durant offered to be an "advisor" to Moore throughout the recovery.
If anyone understands what it takes to return from an Achilles injury and play at an NBA level, Durant can. Durant's injury had a severe impact, but he is now playing some of the best basketball of his career.
Moore, a second-team All-Big East selection, is not one of the top prospects in the upcoming NBA draft. However, he does have the ability to make an NBA roster if he can make a healthy comeback.
Justin Moore's timeline could match Kevin Durant's recovery time
Fully recovering from a torn Achilles is not an easy process, so it is rare for people to return to basketball after the injury. Still, Durant's recovery after the tear in the 2019 NBA Finals provides a timeline for Moore.
Many thought Durant's career could be in jeopardy after tearing his Achilles tendon in Game 5 on June 10, 2019. (The Toronto Raptors beat Durant's Golden State Warriors in six games. He missed the first four games with a strained right calf.)
Durant missed the entire 2019-20 season and returned when the pandemic-delayed 2020-21 season began on Dec. 22, 2020. He played only 35 games of that shortened 72-game season, mostly because of a hamstring injury.
If Moore's timeline mirrors Durant's, then he could be fully healthy by September 2023. That would be before both the college basketball and NBA seasons start. Moore could apply for a medical waiver and get an extra season of eligibility because of the likelihood of missing all of next season. He will still have two years of eligibility remaining.
Moore could also choose to go to the NBA despite the injury and attempt to make an NBA roster. The decision will be his to make, but Durant believes Moore can return to basketball.
Guess the Lakers players!
