Top 5 NBA players who have made a comeback from an Achilles injury

The worst type of injury that could happen to an NBA player is considered to be a ruptured Achilles. Very few players have returned to the courts after suffering from a torn Achilles.

Take a look at the top five of the few players who have made a return after suffering from an Achilles injury.

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Five NBA Players who have made a comeback from an Achilles injury

#5 Wesley Matthews

Wesley Matthews #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after scoring a three point basket during the first quarter of an NBA game against the New Orleans Pelicansat Smoothie King Center on March 23, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The former Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard had a torn Achilles on March 5, 2015. That left a dent in the Blazers' team as he was their starting shooting guard, who was fourth-best in the NBA Western Conference. He was out for the rest of the season but made it back for the 2015-16 season.

Upon his return, Wesley Matthews made a move to the Dallas Mavericks as a small forward and was featured in 78 games that season, making an average of 12.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. He had a field goal of 38.8% after 10.9 attempts made from the field and netting 4.2 times. Matthews has an NBA career average of 12.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 849 games played.

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#4 DeMarcus Cousins

DeMarcus Cousins #15 of the Houston Rockets in action against the Miami Heat during a game at the Toyota Center on February 11, 2021 in Houston, Texas.

DeMarcus Cousins suffered a full rupture of his left Achilles in 2018 while playing for the New Orleans Pelicans. This occurred in the fourth quarter of an NBA game against the Houston Rockets, Cousins made an offensive rebound, and on landing he felt a sharp pain that forced him to collapse on the floor.

The former Sacramento Kings center made a return in 2019 having signed to the Golden State Warriors as a free agent during his rehabilitation on a one-year contract worth $5.3 million. Cousins has played a total of 606 games in the NBA and averaged 20.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game in his career.

#3 Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball against Dominique Jones #20 of the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on November 24, 2012 in Dallas, Texas

Kobe Bryant suffered a ruptured Achilles in a game against the Golden State Warriors in 2012. This was his 78th game of the NBA season for the Los Angeles Lakers. He felt a kick when he dribbled past Harrison Barnes and made two free throws for his troubles, which he netted. After the game, he went in for a scan and was told his left Achilles tendon had ruptured.

The five-time NBA champion returned to the court after being out for over eight months and was featured in a game against the Toronto Raptors. The L.A. Lakers lost the game 106 - 94 and Bryant recorded only nine points on the scoreboard. The following season saw Black Mamba average 22.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. He has a career average of 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game in 1346 games played in the NBA.

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#2 Dominique Wilkins

Chris Bosh #1 of the Miami Heat and the Eastern Conference celebrates with NBA Legend Dominique Wilkins and Swin Cash #32 of the New York Liberty after winning the Degree Shooting Stars Competition as part of the 2015 NBA Allstar Weekend at Barclays Center on February 14, 2015 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.

During the 1991-92 season, Dominique Wilkins suffered an Achilles injury. NBA legend and former Atlanta Hawks small forward ruptured his Achilles the same day he was announced as a reserve for the Eastern Conference All-Star Team. He was aged 32 at the time and was ruled out in most circles.

Surprisingly, Wilkins made a comeback the following season, returning to his All-Star status. He was selected in two more All-Star Teams, made the 1992-93 All-NBA Second Team and went on to make the 1993-94 All-NBA Third Team list. On his return season, Wilkins averaged 29.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.

Nique had 17-season runs in the NBA and played for the Atlanta Hawks for 12 long seasons. In 1074 games played, he has a career average of 24.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

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#1 Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors is assisted off the court after sustaining an injury in the first half against the Toronto Raptors during Game Five of the 2019 NBA Finals at Scotiabank Arena on June 10, 2019 in Toronto, Canada.

Kevin Durant had a ruptured Achilles in the 2019 NBA Finals with the Golden State Warriors, which saw him missing in action for an entire season. He had earlier suffered a strained calf during the Western Conference semifinals and missed out on the entire series and the finals.

The 11-time All-Star returned for the NBA Finals game 5 against the Toronto Raptors and was featured for only 12 minutes. Durant was out groping his leg as he limped off. He had torn his right Achilles tendon.

However, the Brooklyn Nets signed KD as a free agent on a four year contract worth $164 million while he was in the early stages of his recovery. He added an average of 26.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game for the Nets, making his claim like he never left.

The two-time NBA champion has a career average of 27.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game in 884 games.

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