Jayson Tatum is expected to miss significant time and may return for the next NBA season, depending on how his recovery progresses. He was one of three players to suffer an Achilles injury during the playoffs, joining Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard.
The most recent of the three was Haliburton, who tore his Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals—won by the Oklahoma City Thunder behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who broke a Michael Jordan scoring record. Video clearly shows the moment Haliburton goes down after the rupture.
Lillard, on the other hand, sustained his injury back in April. Footage of his rehab surfaced last month, suggesting he may be slightly ahead of Haliburton and Tatum in his recovery timeline heading into next season.
What connects these three after their Achilles injuries?
It’s a detail that’s easy to miss, but has sparked a lot of discussion on social media: all three—Haliburton, Tatum, and Lillard—wear jersey number 0 for their respective teams (Pacers, Celtics, and Bucks).
Another detail that’s raised eyebrows: each player was wearing low-top sneakers when the injuries occurred. The design has been criticized in recent years, and former NBA player Nick Van Exel addressed it bluntly on X back in May:
“There have been Achilles tears throughout the years but my thoughts on them is that they happen more now and I think it has something to do with them *** lows the players wear nowadays. Cover them ankles up fellas.”
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Is number '0' jersey cursed?
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Haliburton
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander expressed genuine concern after seeing Haliburton go down in Game 7. The moment stuck with him as a painful reminder of how fast things can change.
“My heart dropped for him. I couldn’t imagine playing the biggest game of my life and something like that happening. I just felt so bad for him. Prayers go out to him for sure. Hell of a player.”
