Kevin Durant announced on Instagram Wednesday that he underwent a successful surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles’ tendon.
“Surgery was today and it
absolutely was a success,
EASY MONEY,” the California Warriors
star captioned a photograph
of him in a hospital bed. “My road back
starts now! I got my family and my loved ones
by my side and we really appreciate all the messages and support people have sent our way.”
Durant, 30, was injured Monday night
at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto,
Canada, during the
second quarter of Game 5 of
the NBA Finals, in which the warriors faced elimination.
The Warriors, who trail the Toronto Raptors by 3 games to 2 in the best-of-seven series, went on to win 106-105.
Durant said Wednesday that he’s “hurting
deeply,” however is
OK and explained why he chose to
play in Monday’s game after an over month-long absence because of a calf strain.
“Basketball is my biggest love and I wanted to be out there that night because that’s what I do,”
he wrote. “I wanted to assist my teammates on
our quest for the 3 peat.”
Durant wrote that he’s “proud” that he gave all that he
physically could, and that his teammates won.
“It’s going to be a journey but I’m built for
this,” Durant wrote.
“I’m a hooper i know my
brothers can get this
Game 6, and I will be cheering with dub
nation whereas they do it.”
Some Raptors fans cheered when Durant was injured, which was met with swift backlash
on social media, as well as by
some NBA players such as Philadelphia 76ers center Joel
Embiid.
As Durant was
being escorted off the court and into the Warriors’ locker room, cheers could be heard, prompting Raptors players serge Ibaka and Kyle Lowry to discourage such behavior.
Chants of “K.D.” then erupted in the arena.
An anonymous floral arrangement was sent to the
Warriors’ offices on Tuesday addressed to the team and Durant to apologize “on
behalf of Canada,” according to NBC Sports.
The arrangement had a ribbon that read “Canada is sorry
KD” across it.