The 25 most impactful injuries in NBA history

Rose was on his way to a legendary career: In his third season, he became the youngest player to ever be named the league MVP. But in the 2012 playoffs, he tore his ACL. He missed the entire next season, and while he went on to enjoy a long career, he never returned to playing at an All-Star level.

After a stellar college career, Walton took the NBA by storm, winning a championship in his third year and an MVP trophy in his fourth. Then came the foot injuries, which often kept him sidelined for seasons at a time. While he had a bit of a career resurgence when he won the Sixth Man Of The Year award in Boston, his career was one of unrealized potential.

From the 2001 to 2004 seasons, Hill appeared in just 47 total games for the Magic and missed the entire 2004 campaign. This came after Hill had the best season of his career, averaging over 25 points a night. He went on to have a successful 18-year career primarily as a role player, after being robbed of his prime.

A versatile guard, Penny was one of the most promising stars of the '90s. Beginning in 1997, he dealt with a series of knee injuries that took away much of his signature explosiveness. He recovered and continued to play, but he was never the star it looked like he might be.

Oden was expected to be the new face of the Blazers after the franchise selected him first overall, above the draft class's other most promising player, Kevin Durant. Oden, though, missed his rookie season with knee issues, and he didn't see much of the floor after that, either. From the 2009 to 2014 seasons, Oden only appeared in 105 career games.

During the same period as the Oden situation, Portland was also dealing with Brandon Roy's health issues. Roy was already established as the team's star guard when a degenerative knee condition sidelined him in his mid 20s. On his way to being one of his generation's best players, Roy was forced into early retirement, changing the trajectory of the Blazers franchise.

Amid an intense Finals series against the Raptors, Durant ruptured his Achilles tendon, halting the Warriors' dynasty run (though it had an addendum with the team's 2022 championship). KD missed the entire 2020 season and wound up relocating to Brooklyn, changing the course of both teams.

In his mid-30s, Kobe was still performing at a high level, but at the start of the 2014 season, he tore his Achilles, missing the majority of the year. He returned to play two more years, but dealt with other injuries and a production level not as high as it used to be. Bryant was aging anyway, but there's a "what if" about how much a healthy Kobe could have produced in his late 30s.

This wasn't a traditional injury, but his HIV diagnosis forced Johnson into retirement. He was in his early 30s at the time and still playing at an elite level. Johnson briefly returned to the NBA years later, but the Lakers missed out on what could have been many more productive years from Magic.

Yao was one of the most imposing centers of the 2000s, but standing at 7'6", he was unsurprisingly injury-prone. He routinely dealt with foot and ankle issues, and for three straight seasons, he missed at least 20 games a year. He went on to miss the entire 2010 season and play just six games in the 2011 campaign.

McGrady is one of the NBA's all-time great scorers, leading the league in PPG in back-to-back seasons. Like his Rockets teammate Yao, though, T-Mac was often sidelined with injuries related to his back and knees. By the time he hit his 30s, he had been reduced to a role player.

In his first nine seasons, Bird was an ironman, never appearing in fewer than 74 games. In the late '80s, though, he started dealing with back issues that hampered his mobility and availability. He still played at an All-Star level, but his career was likely cut short by at least a few seasons, ending that Celtics era prematurely.

Livingston had a gruesome knee injury in 2007, impacting essentially every part of the joint. Livingston was told that amputation was a possibility, but he managed not only walk again but also to return to the NBA and close out a productive 14-year career. A young Livingston, as a tall, versatile point guard, was full of potential that went largely unrealized, even if he did enjoy a solid NBA tenure.

During a Team USA scrimmage, George suffered a gruesome leg fracture. George missed the majority of the following season, but the Pacers had to pivot without their star. PG13 eventually returned to an All-Star level, but he remained injury-prone in the years that followed.

Kawhi's quad injury was a source of tension between him and the Spurs, with the sides disagreeing on when the forward should return to the court. The relationship soured, and San Antonio eventually shipped him up to Toronto. Although he helped the Raptors win a championship in his one Canadian season, Leonard has remained injury-prone.

In the 2018 Western Conference Finals, Paul's Rockets were up 3-2 on the Warriors when he injured his hamstring. Forced to miss games 6 and 7, the Warriors went on to win the series and continue their franchise. Paul, meanwhile, missed out on his best-ever chance to win a championship.

Injuries were an immediate problem for Embiid, as he missed his first two NBA seasons. Once he fully arrived, though, he showed he was an MVP-caliber player, winning the award in 2023. Availability has been a recurring issue for Embiid, though, as he has never played more than 68 games in a season.

Zion was meant to be a star, and at times, he has been, like when he averaged 27 points a game in his sophomore season. But it's rare that he's healthy enough to play for any extended stretch. In his first six seasons, he missed one entirely and only played in over 30 games twice.

Bynum was expected to be a major star for the Lakers, and he even made the All-Star team in 2012. But routine knee injuries hampered his development and forced him to miss the entire 2013 season. After that, he only played in 26 more games before calling it a career.

Bowie is, of course, most infamous for being drafted ahead of Michael Jordan. Early in his career, though, he showed flashes of potential greatness, but leg injuries stunted his development. Bowie ended up being solid during his ten-year career, but never reached the heights Portland hoped for.

Young NBA fans who see Williams as a basketball analyst on TV might not even know he was once one of the league's most promising players. He showed flashes of potential greatness during his rookie season, but after that, he had a career-ending motorcycle accident. Williams was a No. 2 pick the Bulls were hoping would be a big part of their future, but that never came to be.

In the 2025 Eastern Conference semis, Tatum ruptured his Achilles, putting an end to Boston's title defense. This, paired with a financial situation that forced the Celtics to offload key pieces of their 2024 championship team, had a drastic impact on Boston's trajectory. It remains to be seen how much of his old magic Tatum will be able to reclaim once he returns to the court.

In the preseason ahead of his rookie year, Griffin fractured his patella, forcing him to miss the 2010 season. He returned to win Rookie Of The Year and became one of the league's most exciting stars. But, there were concerns about his durability following his injury, concerns that were legitimized with prolonged absences.

Cousins and Anthony Davis were a threatening double-big duo in New Orleans. But Cousins tore his Achilles during the 2018 season, derailing that potential all-time great one-two punch. Cousins was one of the league's best centers pre-injury, but after the injury, he was never able to return to form.

Nash had a Hall of Fame resume before joining the Lakers late in his career, where he hoped to form a superteam alongside Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard. That never materialized, though, as Nash faced back and nerve issues that limited his mobility. This left Nash unable to contribute significantly, and the team didn't enjoy any postseason success.