NBA commissioner Adam Silver is taking action after a troubling surge in Achilles injuries during the 2024-25 season. The league recorded seven ruptures, which is more than any other season, including Tyrese Haliburton’s injury in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. This sharp rise sparked urgent concern across teams, medical staff, and league leadership.
The injured list includes James Wiseman, Isaiah Jackson, Dejounte Murray, and Dru Smith in the regular season, followed by Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum, and Haliburton in the playoffs. According to the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, only 45 Achilles ruptures were reported from 1990-91 through 2022-23. The league already had a panel of medical and performance experts before Haliburton’s injury to study the rising trend.
“We’ve already convened a panel of experts. We had seven this year [and] 0 last year…,” Silver told reporters. “The ability with AI to ingest all video of every game a player’s played to see if we can detect some pattern.”
He also noted that most Achilles injuries in recent years occurred before the All-Star break and challenged assumptions about season length being the main factor.
"We've already convened a panel of experts. We had 7 this year [and] 0 last year… the ability with AI to ingest all video of every game a player's played in to see if we can detect some pattern."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 25, 2025
Adam Silver on how they'll address Achilles injuries.pic.twitter.com/zzPRs3abhH
Experts suggest deeper issues, including overuse from year-round basketball and nearly all sports specialization. They say modern players are breaking down younger, as the explosiveness in recent games is higher.
Adam Silver Speaks On Virtual Decals Amid Viewership Drop
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The 2025 NBA Finals between the Thunder and Pacers introduced virtual on-court decals, which replaced traditional paint due to safety concerns. “They went away a decade ago… they were slippery,” Adam Silver explained during a Game 3 interview.
The switch was not the only talking point. Finals viewership averaged 8.84 million for Games 1 and 2, down 24% from previous years and the lowest since 2007, excluding the 2020 year.
Silver acknowledged changing fan habits. He emphasized the need for innovation, pointing to podcasts, social media, and emerging digital platforms as key tools in adapting to today’s evolving media landscape.
Also Read: Adam Silver Delivers Exciting Update On NBA Finals That’s Bringing Back Major Nostalgia
