Why Number 0 Could Be the Unluckiest Jersey in the NBA

This NBA season saw a record number of serious injuries, reigniting the debate about reducing the number of games per year.

The number 0 jersey in the National Basketball Association (NBA) does not have a specific origin tied to a single event or player.

Its significance has evolved over time, reflecting the changing culture of basketball and player identity. Historically, the NBA (and basketball in general) allows jersey numbers from 0 to 99. Players began wearing 0 to stand out or give the number personal meaning.

This season's playoffs brought another layer of symbolism to the number 0 jersey. Three NBA stars, all wearing the same number, suffered Achilles tendon ruptures.

PAY ATTENTION: Stay updated with the Latest Sports News in Kenya from Pulse Sports

The Curse of the Number 0 Jersey in the NBA

Indiana Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton ruptured his Achilles early in Game seven of the finals. Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics also suffered the same injury in Game four of the second round, and Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks experienced the same fate in Game four of the first round.

The Achilles tendon is the largest and strongest tendon in the body. Normal tendons are a matrix of tenocytes, collagen, and primarily small proteoglycans, along with other supporting elements.

These are arranged hierarchically, with fascicles surrounded by connective tissue, which supports the vascular, lymphatic, and neural structures of the tendon.

Both underloading and significant overloading of the tendon can disrupt this balance, leading to pathological changes in the tendon matrix.

Load is highly likely implicated in the pathogenesis of tendinopathy, with both significant underloading and overloading potentially leading to changes in the tendon matrix.

Acute ruptures typically present with sudden onset pain associated with a 'pop' at the site of injury. This injury causes severe pain and significant disability.

Witnessing the exponential increase in this type of injury has been alarming. An Achilles tendon injury epidemiology and video analysis study in the NBA by the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) identified 44 Achilles tendon ruptures in NBA players between 1970 and 2018.

The injury setting (game vs practice) was identified for 37 (84.1%) of the injuries. Of the 37 injuries, 29 (78.3%) occurred during games, while 8 occurred during practice (21.7%).

During the study period, the frequency of Achilles ruptures peaked early in the season, with 12 of the 44 observed Achilles ruptures (27.3%) occurring during this segment of each season.

Similar increases were observed, albeit to a lesser degree, at the end of seasons (the final 27 games of each season). Forty-three (97.7%) injuries were treated surgically.

The average return-to-sport time was 10.5 months, and 35 players (79.5%) returned to play after injury.

At that time, there was already a clear concern about this type of injury, despite the record being less than one such injury per year.

New training and game perspectives were incorporated, and new approaches were implemented. It is worth noting that between 1990 and 2023, there were 45 injuries, raising the average to more than one per year.

However, in the 2024-2025 season alone, seven Achilles tendon injuries were recorded. This NBA season saw an alarming record of serious injuries, reigniting the debate about reducing the number of games per year.

Besides Haliburton, Lillard, and Tatum, James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson (Indiana Pacers), Dru Smith (Miami Heat), and Dejounte Murray (New Orleans Pelicans) suffered complete Achilles ruptures.

Including the preseason, this number rises to eight, as Denver Nuggets' DaRon Holmes II ruptured his Achilles during the Summer League before the regular season even started, sidelining him for the entire 2024-2025 season.

Haliburton was one of three Pacers players to suffer the injury this year. In the title-deciding game, he risked playing after a hamstring strain and couldn't contribute much.

A prior calf strain is a risk factor and could be the common thread in the number 0 jersey 'curse.' All three stars wearing the number had this injury before the complete rupture.

Inevitably, they altered their movement patterns to avoid pain, further stressing the tendon. The high stakes likely contributed to the risk of playing at less than 100%, but they'll end up sidelined for much longer.

Other stars like Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant have experienced this injury. In Portugal, there has also been a rise in Achilles ruptures.

This injury can even influence the decision to end a career prematurely, like Portuguese international point guard Inês Viana, an example of perseverance, who retired at just 30.

A regular for the national team, she was part of the historic group that qualified for and played in the EuroBasket finals for the first time this year. She endured complex injuries, including an Achilles rupture.

Recovery was not straightforward, and after a tendon infection, she required further surgery. She is expected to continue her involvement in basketball in other capacities.

Metaphorically, there are several common reasons for choosing the number 0, including new beginnings, with many players selecting it to symbolise a fresh start in their careers or personal lives.

Those who experience this injury and envision a new version of themselves certainly need that fresh start. A better version, if possible.