To put it simply, the NBA is packed full of the greatest basketball players in existence.

A consistently high turnover of new talent has resulted in extremely high playing and training standards for players to meet. This means a much more rigorous training schedule for teams and individuals alike.

With such high training expectations, it's not all that surprising that some players are constantly on the receiving end of injuries — injuries that could severely impact a teams performance throughout a season.

If you're interested, feel free to check out NBA betting odds for updates and predictions on the upcoming season.

One of these NBA players is Kevin Durant who has been no stranger to taking time off to recover! However, Durant has an uncanny ability to bounce back stronger than before, diving straight back into the fray.

Who Is Kevin Durant?
Before we begin discussing Kevin Durants injuries, we want to talk a little bit about his star talents.

Durant seems like he was always destined for stardom. He is a pretty unique figure among other 7-footers in that he can put the ball on the floor or even shoot from far beyond the three-point arc.

He also has agility and speed like no other and is widely considered one of the true greats in NBA history. This remains true despite his track record with injuries.

Some of his main career achievements include being selected 12 times as an NBA All-Star, winning multiple MVPs across different basketball games, and also being named to the 2021 NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

If that wasn't enough, Durant is also a three-time Olympic gold medalist (2012, 2016, and 2020).

Not only is he an amazingly talented NBA athlete, but he's also an incredible businessman. Off the court, Durant is one of the overall highest-earning basketball players in the entire world. A lot of this is thanks to endorsement deals with big brands like Nike and Foot Locker.

Professional Career
Kevin Durant played only a single season of college basketball at The University of Texas at Austin for the Texas Longhorns before being drafted. During the 2007 NBA Draft, he was selected as the second overall pick for the Seattle Supersonics.

Durant has remained an NBA superstar since the first moment that he was drafted by the SuperSonics. He went on to play nine consecutive seasons with the franchise.

The Seattle Supersonics were renamed to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008.

He then went on to sign with the Golden State Warriors in 2016 and went on to win consecutive championships for the next two years (2017 and 2018).

After suffering from an Achilles injury during the 2019 finals, Durant went on to join the Brooklyn Nets as a free agent. Everything seemed to go well for the star player until he sustained his next injury.

Injuries
2018 - 2019 Any sport that is played at a pro level comes with a huge risk of injury. Basketball is no exception. And, unfortunately, Durant has fallen victim to this quite a few times.

In November 2018, during the fifth game of the Western Conference semi-finals against the renowned Houston Rockets, Kevin Durant sustained a strain in his right calf.

This forced him to miss Game 6 which saw the Warriors defeat the Portland Trail Blazers to win the Western Conference Finals in an impressive four-game sweep.

After missing nine games, Durant quickly returned to action in time for Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors and even managed to score 11 points in the first quarter.

However, just a few minutes into the second quarter after trying to drive by Serge Ibaka, his former teammate, Durant suffered a severe injury to his Achilles tendon.

This injury forced him to sit out of play for the entire 2019–20 season so he could focus on recovery, spanning an entire 18 months. While Durant was recovering, the Warriors traded him to the Brooklyn Nets in July 2019.

2020 - Present Day
Durant made his nets debut in December 2020 but it wasn't until mid-April 2021 that Kevin Durant suffered another injury. He sustained a left thigh contusion in the first half against the Miami Heat after making contact with winger Trevor Ariza while driving to the rim.

Durant didn't return, with the Nets making sure he had ample time to recover. Fortunately, it was a minor injury that saw him return at the end of that same month as if nothing happened.

Then, during a January 2022 victory against the New Orleans Pelicans, Kevin Durant swiftly exited the court after sustaining an injury to his left knee. This was later revealed as a sprained MCL, meaning he was ruled out of playing for four to six weeks.

He made his comeback in March 2022 and jumped straight back into action.

What's Next?
After rescinding an offer to trade from Brooklyn in August 2022, Durant looks set for more major success with the team (hopefully sans injury!) But one thing remains clear: no injury can bring the small forward down.

Fans everywhere are eagerly awaiting to see what Durant does next!