Ranking 10 Unlucky NBA Players

An injury is one of the things that professional athletes fear the most. Everyone suffers a great loss when players who possess exceptional potential and promise get injuries. But some unfortunate basketball players have ended the careers due to injuries while some of players were discipline. While some athletes are injured during or after their prime, others are injured before it. In any case, injuries are tragic events that alter a person's life. They are a fact of life that several basketball players have had to confront and conquer.

With the progress of science and the growing focus on recuperation and health, there are now ways to lessen the long-term consequences of an accident. To return to the court, more athletes are playing longer and recovering from injuries more skillfully. Regretfully, throughout the history of the NBA, some are.

Here is the ranking ten unluckiest NBA Players

10. Greg Oden

It's difficult to believe that the Portland Trail Blazers, who had the first selection in the 2007 NBA draft, chose centre Greg Oden over a player by the name of Kevin Durant. This is especially true when considering the events of that draft. The Blazers' misfortune in losing to the league MVP in the first place was exacerbated by Oden's inability to maintain his health throughout his time in Portland. He spent five seasons with the squad, although he only participated in 82 games overall because of persistent knee problems. 

9. Penny Hardaway

Anfernee Hardaway established himself as one of the NBA's greatest players when healthy, displaying the most skill of any player to enter the league in the previous 25 years. Joining Shaquille O'Neal on the Orlando Magic in 1993, Penny averaged 19.7 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.6 assists per game in his first four seasons. In the 1994–95 season, he helped the Magic make it to the NBA Finals. After becoming a four-time All-Star and finishing on the team in five seasons, Hardaway started to have knee pain, which made him gradually worsen and miss games.

8. Brandon Roy

Given his seemingly effortless skills, it's hardly surprising that Portland Trail Blazers announcer Brian Wheeler nicknamed player Brandon Roy "The Natural" from the start of his rookie year. These abilities elevated Roy to the status of one of the league's top young players and helped him win Rookie of the Year in 2007. Roy was selected to three consecutive All-Star teams between 2008 and 2010, however, his knee injury prevented him from playing in the 2010 postseason. The injury never fully healed.

7. Derrick Rose

It is unclear if Derrick Rose will recover from his most recent knee injury in time for the finish of the current campaign. Fans should, however, applaud the fact that he's attempting to try. Even if Rose were to come back and play for ten more years, he would never be the same player he once was, losing him and the fans the opportunity to be regarded as one of the greatest of his generation. Rose was once the league MVP.

6. Bill Walton

Bill Walton, a former NBA centre, was unable to play as much as he would have for three full seasons and numerous other games despite being elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Walton was one of the biggest sports victors in history, having been selected first overall in the 1974 NBA Draft. He won Finals MVP honours in 1977 after leading the Portland Trail Blazers to their only NBA title. Walton also led the UCLA Bruins to two NCAA titles. 

5. Grant Hill 

Grant Hill was one of several ballers that some thought would take Michael Jordan's throne. He was the third overall choice in the 1994 NBA draft and a previous co-Rookie of the Year following his first season. During his first six seasons with the Detroit Pistons, Hill was a member of the All-Star squad five times out of six. During that period, he averaged 21.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.3 assists while missing only 25 games. 

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4. Chris Paul

Chris Paul hasn't played since January 5 due to a left-hand fracture that needed surgery, but it looks like he could be close to making a comeback. One of the greatest point guards in NBA history, the 38-year-old is a potential Hall of Famer, but there were some doubts about how he would fit in with the Warriors at this point in his career.

3. Anderson Varejao

Anderson Varejao, the centre for the Cavaliers, has a possibly catastrophic injury to his left ankle. Varejao, who joined Cleveland in 2004, has struggled with injuries regularly lately. Following three seasons in which he appeared in just 81 games total, he played 65 games in the previous season. Over the previous four seasons, he has missed 165 games due to injury.

2. Joel Embiid

The 2023–24 NBA season has just three weeks remaining, and it is still unknown when or if centre Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers will make a full recovery from the meniscus injury he sustained at the end of January. As of now, Embiid, 30, is the NBA's most valuable player. If he had participated in enough games to be eligible, his league-leading average of 35.3 points per game and his rate of 11.3 rebounds per game would both be among the top 10.

1. Yao Ming

Yao Ming, a 7 feet basketball player was supposed to be the next great thing. In his first three seasons, the eight-time all-star missed only two games. He began to experience issues during his fourth season. He had osteomyelitis in the beginning, a left foot fracture four months later, and a right knee fracture in December 2006. After eight complete seasons in the NBA, Ming announced his retirement following the 2011 season.

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