The 2025 NBA Playoffs saw several superstars go down with a torn Achilles, a dreaded injury that has derailed the careers of several notable players. The Achilles tendon is responsible for absorbing impact, making an injury a career-altering one.
While players like Kevin Durant and Dominique Wilkins were successful enough to recover well from the injury, they're more of exceptions rather than the norm. As a result, fans are hoping that Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard, and Tyrese Haliburton will turn out the same way.
In fact, most players are never the same after suffering an Achilles tear. Here is a look at eight NBA players whose careers were ended by an Achilles tendon injury.
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Anderson Varejao
Anderson Varejao was a workhorse when it came to crashing the boards. However, disaster struck early into the 2014-15 season when he tore his Achilles. Since then, Varejao split his time between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors in the next two seasons, appearing in just 67 more games. The Cavaliers welcomed him back for a five-game retirement tour in the 2020-21 season. Clearly, the injury derailed his career and Varejao was never the same.
Brandon Jennings
Brandon Jennings is one of the biggest what-ifs in NBA history thanks to injuries. However, none were bigger than his torn Achilles that he suffered in the midst of the 2014-15 season. Jennings boldly claimed that he would've been an All-Star if it weren't for the dreaded injury. While Jennings did manage to suit up in 143 more games across three seasons, the torn Achilles was a major culprit in forcing him out of the league.
Voshon Lenard
Voshon Lenard was a solid role player who had productive stints with the Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, and Denver Nuggets. The 6-foot-4 guard was a reliable shooter who could score double-digits on a nightly basis.
However, early into the 2004-05 season, a torn Achilles basically ended his career. After trying to return from injury, Lenard didn't have it smooth, as he displayed questionable conduct leading to his suspension. Twenty-six games into the following season, Lenard decided to hang up his sneakers.
Jeff Taylor
Jeff Taylor was initially a competitive forward for the Charlotte Bobcats. And when Michael Kidd-Gilchrist went down with a hand injury, Taylor filled in the starting spot. However, his opportunity also passed when he suffered a torn Achilles tendon early into the 2013-14 season. Unfortunately, apart from an Achilles injury, legal issues also hurt Taylor's career. As a result, since recovering, he only appeared in 29 more games in the 2014-15 season.
Mehmet Okur
It's safe to say that Mehmet Okur was a solid big man in the NBA. The Turkish center was an NBA champion and NBA All-Star after all. However, injuries started to prematurely slow him down, the biggest of which came in the 2010 NBA Playoffs in the form of a torn Achilles tendon. The setback played a major role for Okur to call it quits at only 32 years old, citing that he was no longer at the same level that he used to be.
Xavier Henry
The 2010 NBA Draft saw the Memphis Grizzlies select Xavier Henry with the 12th overall pick. However, the lottery pick was initially disappointing until he registered a solid season with the Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged 10.0 points per game, the best of his career, during the 2013-14 season.
Coming off a breakout year, Henry's career unexpectedly took a hit when he suffered a torn Achilles during a Lakers practice. The injury played a role in making the Lakers front office waive him, quietly ending his NBA career.
Elgin Baylor
Elgin Baylor is one of the all-time greats. The 11-time NBA All-Star was one of the cornerstones for the Lakers during the 1960s and '70s. However, a series of injuries hampered his career. First, a knee injury in the 1965 NBA Playoffs, followed by a torn Achilles in the midst of the 1970-71 season derailed Baylor's career. He only lasted 11 games in his final two seasons in the NBA, citing injuries. He eventually missed out on the playoff run of the Lakers' 1972 NBA title team, although he still received a ring.
Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas was the centerpiece of the Bad Boy Pistons dynasty. Thomas was the focal point for Detroit, leading the franchise to back-to-back NBA championships. Unfortunately, the 1993-94 season would be his last. 58 games into the year, Thomas announced his curtain call. The 1990 Finals MVP cited wrist concerns post-surgery as the main culprit of his retirement. But it's safe to say the torn Achilles was the final blow.
