Dominique Wilkins was well aware of the obituaries written about his career after he tore his Achilles. At the time, what's still widely considered the most devastating injury in sports was viewed as an athletic death sentence.
Despite that doomy outlook and that Wilkins was 32 when he ruptured his Achilles in January 1992, the nine-time All-Star approached his rehab with a defiant attitude.
"I worked out twice a day, every day, for nine months, because I heard all the critics: 'Oh, at that age, there is no way he will come back and be the same,'" Wilkins shared in an exclusive interview with ESports Insider. "So I was like, 'I'll show them that I can come back and be better than ever.'
"I remember people giving me a sarcastic pat on the back like, 'OK, good luck.' All those negative articles I saw, I put them on my workout wall, and I got back to training at a level that I don't think I ever trained at."
Wilkins not only returned in time for the start of the next season, he finished fifth in the MVP voting that year. He played in 71 of 82 games, averaging 29.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and a steal per contest. His production earned him an All-NBA Second-Team selection.
A few years later, in the twilight of his career, Wilkins suited up for the Boston Celtics at age 35. He appeared in 77 games, including 64 starts, generating 17.8 points per tilt. It was another testament to how his injury didn't define his career, a determination shared by Jayson Tatum.
Wilkins outlines crucial steps in Tatum's road to recovery
As Dr. Kevin Stone, an orthopedic surgeon at The Stone Clinic and a leading expert in Achilles tendon repair, detailed to this author, there have been critical advancements in treating an Achilles injury that once had a more grim outlook.
"We've learned a lot about how to add growth factors to damaged tissues these days," said Dr. Stone. "You hear about everybody getting PRP, some getting cells, some getting fat cells, some getting stem cells, and some getting birth tissues. These are all factors that we can use to accelerate tissue healing. And all of them can be added to help an Achilles tendon heal."
As Wilkins knows first-hand, it's also essential that Tatum stays ahead of the game as he rehabs his right leg.
"If he does a lot of water therapy and a lot of individual workouts to get his range of motion back – he's got to learn how to walk again – the mobility and the stretching will help him get back quicker, as well as getting the calf stronger," said Wilkins. "Because when you tear that Achilles tendon, you lose some muscle mass in that leg. You've got to try to stay ahead of the game."
It also helps that Tatum, who is starting to document his road to recovery on social media, has a tireless work ethic that has made him an iron man up until this point. It's a superhero moniker he'll aim to reclaim upon returning.
"They have everything at their disposal, as far as workout facilities and new-age medicine, workout equipment to get themselves back quicker," stated Wilkins. "But you still need to do the work. Tatum is a guy who loves the game, so there is no doubt in my mind he will put in the work he needs to put in to get back. But it's going to take him at least a year [to feel 100 percent]. That's a fact."
The mental side of injury recovery
An injury doesn't just affect one physically. It's common for it to take longer to get over the mental hurdles. It often takes time to trust that the affected area will endure the rigors of competition and enable an individual to perform at the level desired.
However, for Wilkins, the validation for how he attacked his recovery came quickly.
"My first game back, I had 30. I remember looking at my teammate and saying, 'Dammit, I'm back.' And I averaged almost 30 points per game [in 1992-93] and had my best all-around season. That was so satisfying, and I was so proud of myself for all the work I put in."
It's an optimistic example that comes with sage advice. As Tatum embarks on his road to recovery, maintaining a positive mindset is key. Being able to point to Wilkins returning to All-NBA form, despite being in his 30s and not having the same medical advancements at his disposal as Tatum, could help the latter persevere through a challenge unlike any he's faced.