The NBA has always been a beacon of peak athleticism and strength… but with the epic highs come the epic lows. Knee tears, arthritis, broken ankles, you name it– even the most skilled players can be ruined by unpreventable injuries. These NBA stars were the best of the best when injuries knocked them off their pedestal, leaving fans and players wondering what could have been.
(Featured image via .shock/Adobe Stock)
1. Derrick Rose
NBA MVP Derrick “Pooh” Rose was at the top of his game when he tore his left ACL in 2012 and injured his right meniscus in 2013. This was just the beginning of a long string of injuries that haunted Rose throughout his career.
Rose suffered a hamstring and back injury that ended with the point guard’s retirement announcement in 2024, leaving fans wondering what the 3x NBA All-Star could have accomplished.
2. Grant Hill
Duke star Grant Hill was making NBA history before an ankle injury in 2000 altered his path. In 2003, Hill contracted an MRSA infection from an ankle surgery that threatened his life.
Despite this setback, Hill remained strong and played through several more injuries before announcing his retirement in 2013. His legacy is preserved in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
3. Brandon Roy
Degenerative knee problems hindered Brandon Roy from reaching his full potential. After his first knee surgery in 2008, Roy’s knees slowly started to betray him more and more until he announced his retirement in 2011– at just 27 years old.
Plagued by “what-ifs,” the iconic shooting guard returned to the Minnesota Timberwolves the following year before requiring another surgery on his right knee, officially ending his NBA career.
4. Yao Ming
Former center for the Houston Rockets, Yao Ming, is a global icon, an 8x NBA All-Star, and a former president of the Chinese Basketball Association.
Recurring foot and ankle injuries put a pin in Yao’s career and led him to announce his retirement at age 31.
5. Penny Hardaway
Orlando Magic superstar Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway was the perfect player until Joe Dumars injured his knee in the 1996 NBA Playoffs. Hardaway played through pain, but his knee never felt the same. He retired in 2012, citing injuries.
His impact is remembered in the Nike “Lil’ Penny” commercials in which Chris Rock voices a trash-talking Penny Hardaway puppet.
