Photo Credit: Reuters
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant broke his right foot in early October and was expected to be out for six to eight weeks. At first glance, it did not look like it was going to be a big deal but a Jones fracture and the treatment for it could put Durant out a lot longer than expected.
Just to get a hint of what Durant is going through, someone has to understand what a Jones fracture really is. All it is is a soreness or injury that hurts little by little until it gets so bad that it has to be brought to a specialist’s attention and they definitely are not easy to recover quickly from. Obviously a guy like Durant is used to playing through aches and pains so if he thinks that it is a severe case, it means the pain is really bad.
It probably was not easy news for Durant having to sit and watch his teammates play without him. There was no other person better to give him advice than another star that has suffered a significant injury, Kobe Bryant. Durant has since had the surgery for his foot and right when he started the healing process, Bryant reached out to him about how to react to the situation and learn how to be a better teammate from the sidelines. Bryant has experience having to sit on the sidelines and watch his team go on without him. His words to Durant forced him to see beyond the life changing experience and turn it into a good lesson.
The injury came after the league MVP made headlines by deciding to drop out of Team USA in August. Durant wanted time to rest both physically and mentally. Indiana Pacers’ Paul George’s injury was the influence for him to take a break and focus on his well being.
Bryant’s wise words must have done Durant some good. Even with multiple injuries for the team, Durant is not letting it keep him from using his talent to still contribute to his team like working referees, joining the huddles and even joining along right next to the team’s coaches on the sidelines.
