Warriors' Moses Moody sees 'clear path' ahead after patellar tendon surgery

Moody remains optimistic about his long recovery process despite the devastating knee injury.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 12:54pm

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting a basketball player's knee in various geometric planes and perspectives, using a muted color palette with flashes of bright color to symbolize the player's determination.Despite the devastating nature of his patellar tendon injury, Warriors forward Moses Moody remains optimistic about his long road to recovery.Little Rock Today

Golden State Warriors forward Moses Moody expressed optimism about his recovery from a torn patellar tendon in his left knee, an injury he sustained during an overtime win against the Dallas Mavericks. Moody, 23, said he views the setback as an opportunity to address a long-standing issue and come back stronger than before.

Why it matters

Moody was playing his best basketball of the season when the injury occurred, derailing his upward trajectory. However, the young player's mature and thoughtful approach to the recovery process has impressed his teammates and the organization, who have described him as having 'wisdom' and 'maturity' beyond his years.

The details

Moody recounted the fateful play, saying he didn't realize the severity of the injury until he looked down and saw his torn patellar tendon. Despite the gruesome nature of the injury, Moody is facing his recovery with optimism, viewing it as a chance to slow down, address long-standing issues, and come back stronger. Doctors have told Moody that the clean tear from the bone is the 'best-case scenario' for this type of injury, which will sideline him for 9-12 months.

  • Moody suffered the patellar tendon tear during the Warriors' overtime win over the Dallas Mavericks.
  • Moody underwent reconstructive knee surgery a couple of weeks ago.

The players

Moses Moody

A 23-year-old forward for the Golden State Warriors who is facing a long recovery from a torn patellar tendon in his left knee.

Jimmy Butler

A teammate of Moody's on the Warriors who is also currently recovering from an ACL injury.

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What they’re saying

“It didn't hurt when it happened. I thought Cooper [Flagg] ran from the backside. I thought we just bumped knees a little bit or something.... But when I looked at [my knee], [that's] when I knew that it was something. I didn't know what it was, but I knew it was something. I thought it was maybe like dislocated or something, and they could pop it back in, and I'd be alright.”

— Moses Moody, Warriors Forward

“I feel good. It's a unique time in my life being able to kind of slow down. Being in an NBA season, ripping and running, doing so much, traveling so much. So being able to slow down, sit down, have a routine, get better at some stuff, talk to my family, talk to a lot of people on the phone all the time. Now, being intentional with my time, I've enjoyed it.”

— Moses Moody, Warriors Forward

What’s next

Moody will begin the next phase of his recovery by trying to bend his knee more and activate his quadriceps. He plans to set specific goals and milestones, similar to what his teammate Jimmy Butler is doing with his ACL rehab.

The takeaway

Moody's mature and optimistic approach to his long recovery process has impressed the Warriors organization, who have described the 23-year-old as having wisdom and maturity beyond his years. Despite the devastating nature of the injury, Moody views it as an opportunity to address long-standing issues and come back stronger than before.