Portland’s Wesley Matthews is sprawled on the floor after tearing his left Achilles’ tendon on Thursday, March 5, 2015.
Portland’s Wesley Matthews is sprawled on the floor after tearing his left Achilles’ tendon on Thursday, March 5, 2015. Greg Wahl-Stephens Associated Press file
Portland’s Wesley Matthews is sprawled on the floor after tearing his left Achilles’ tendon on Thursday, March 5, 2015. Greg Wahl-Stephens Associated Press file

Basketball

Five notable NBA players who tore Achilles’ tendons

January 28, 2017 07:54 PM

Torn careers

Five notable NBA players to suffer torn Achilles’ tendons and how they fared after their return to court:

Elgin Baylor, Lakers

Age when hurt: 36

Injured: Nov. 27, 1970

Returned: Oct. 15, 1971

Pre-injury stats: 27.5 ppg, 13.6 rpg, 837 games

Post-injury stats: 11.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 9 games

Kobe Bryant, Lakers

Age when hurt: 34

Injured: April 12, 2013

Returned: Dec. 12, 2014*

Pre-injury stats: 25.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1,239 games

Post-injury stats: 18.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 107 games

*Played just six games before suffering season-ending knee injury

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Patrick Ewing, Knicks

Age when hurt: 36

Injured: June 1, 1999

Returned: Dec. 10, 1999

Pre-injury stats: 23.2 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 977 games

Post-injury stats: 9.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 206 games

Wesley Matthews, Trail Blazers

Age when hurt: 29

Injured: March 5, 2015

Returned: Oct. 28, 2015, with Mavericks

Pre-injury stats: 14.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 441 games

Post-injury stats: 13.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 121 games

Dominique Wilkins, Hawks

Age when hurt: 32

Injured: Jan. 28, 1992

Returned: Nov. 6, 1992

Pre-injury stats: 26.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 762 games

Post-injury stats: 25.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 312 games

Bee Sports staff

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