As a wave of Achilles tendon injuries sweeps the NBA, former Chicago Bulls champion and current Southern Connecticut State University men’s basketball coach Scott Burrell is offering his firsthand perspective on the physical and mental toll such injuries can take.
In a recent New York Sun feature, Burrell recalled his own Achilles injury in 1995 during a game with the Charlotte Hornets—an incident that, despite a full recovery and eventual NBA championship in 1998, left a lasting impression.
“It just popped, and I thought someone kicked me from behind,” Burrell told the Sun. “Obviously it was healed, and I was ready to go, but in the back of your mind, I’m like, ‘I don’t want to do that again.’”
His reflections come as the league grapples with a record-setting seven Achilles tears in the 2024-25 season alone, including high-profile cases involving Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum, and Tyrese Haliburton. Experts and former players are citing everything from overuse and year-round play to footwear design and early specialization in youth sports.
Burrell, a multi-sport athlete during his youth in Connecticut, emphasized the importance of athletic diversity: “All these kids do is just play basketball year-round… I do love to hear about them playing football. It builds different muscles. It makes a difference.”
