Top 5 "What If" Players in NBA History

Injuries are a common thing in all of professional sports, and some players are more prone to them than others. And much like anything else in life, an injury can come at anytime, and happen to anyone. No exceptions are made for great players, smart players, or nice guys. This is a short list of some of the best players in NBA history who had their careers cut short, degraded, or ruined by injuries. Before getting into the list, as a preface I would like to mention the name Len Bias. He is also a "what if" player, but has been omitted due to the fact that his life was cut short before he was able to truly establish himself as a great player in the pros. I'll also list a few more players who I feel were great players and fit the criteria, but are just a notch below my top 5: Reggie Lewis, Andrew Toney, Doug Collins, and I guess I should at least mention Tracy McGrady, and should hope that we never have to add Greg Oden to the list. But anyway, here's the list.

5. Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway- After being drafted 3rd overall in 1993, Penny, a 6'7'' guard / forward, was told that he would leave his natural position and be morphed into a full time point guard. After some training from Scott Skiles during his All- Rookie 1st Team worthy inaugural campaign, Penny averaged 21.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 7.2 apg, and 1.9 spg over his next two seasons. He only missed five games during those first three seasons, and with the help of Shaquille O'Neal, Penny led the Magic to a franchise best 57 wins and an NBA Finals appearance in the 1994-95 season. In his fourth season his long battle with injuries started to take over his career. He only played 59 games that year, and never played more than 60 games again, missing almost the entirety of the '97-'98 and '00-'01 seasons, until the 2001-'02 season where he played 80 games for the Phoenix Suns, but his numbers dipped to 12 ppg, 4.4 rpg, and 4.1 apg. He spent the rest of his career mainly in a bench player capacity for the Suns and the New York Knicks, finally ending his career with the Miami Heat after a failed comeback attempt in the '07-'08 season. A four time All-Star, Penny had all of the tools to be one of the best point guards in the history of the league. If he had stayed healthy and Shaq stayed in Orlando, the Magic could have hung a few championship banners from their empty rafters.

4. Yao Ming- It is far from an impossibility that Yao Ming could come back strong from his injury and enjoy the success that The Rockets expected from him after drafting him 1st overall in 2002, but judging by the history of other players his size, such as Shawn Bradley, Georghe Muresan, and a couple guys who will be mentioned later in this list, its not very likely. Yao, of course, is far more talented than most of the freakishly tall athletes in the NBA's past. A 7'6'' monster who can shoot jump shots with alarming accuracy, with post moves rivaled by few current players, run the floor like a forward, and knock down free throws at an 85% clip, Yao is, in my opinion, the best center in the league when healthy. The only problem is, apart from last year when he was able to start 77 games, in the three seasons before that he only played an average of 53 games per season. In addition, Yao will most likely miss the entirety of this current season with a broken bone in his left foot. An international superstar, seven time All-Star, five time All-NBA Teamer, with career averages of around 20 ppg, 10 rpg, and 2 bpg, Yao had the ability to be one of the all time greats. While he's only currently twenty-nine years of age, he's just entering the years that are usually a player's prime. Unfortunately, he may not get to play in them.

3. Grant Hill- Still effective at age 37, you can't say that constant injuries shortened Grant Hill's career. But you can say that they held him from being regarded as one of the best and most versatile small forwards in the game's history. Hill was drafted 3rd overall by the Pistons in 1994, and after a stellar first pro season he shared Rookie of the Year honors with future Hall of Famer Jason Kidd. In Grant's next four seasons, he only missed five games, and posted averages of 21 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 6.8 apg, and 1.6 spg. In the '99-'00 season, he only missed eight games and had his highest career scoring output at 26 ppg. Then, after signing with Orlando the next season, things went downhill. Grant had constant ankle problems during his stay in Orlando. In his first four seasons with the Magic, Hill was only able to play 47 of a possible 328 regular season games, missing the entire '03-'04 season. After three more injury plagued, but not incomplete seasons with Orlando, Hill joined the Suns where he has flourished as an extremely good role player, and has managed to stay healthy. It is just truly unfortunate for Hill, and for the Magic, that Grant was forced to miss out on what would have been his prime after such a fantastic start to his career. Without injuries, Grant Hill could have been one of the best players in NBA history.

2. Ralph Sampson- Not many people from my generation are aware of Ralph Sampson, and I don't blame them at all. The entirety of the glorious moments in his career all came within the span of three seasons. After winning three College Player of the Year Awards at the University of Virginia, the 7'4'' Sampson was drafted first overall by the Houston Rockets in 1983. In his first season in the league Sampson averaged 21 ppg, 11.1 rpg, and 2.4 bpg, made the All-Star Team, and won Rookie of the Year. In his second season, the Rockets had the 1st overall pick again, and paired Sampson with Hakeem Olajuwon, forming the duo known as "The Twin Towers." Sampson continued to put up impressive numbers at the power forward position as the Rockets began to win games. He was also awarded as the MVP of the All-Star game in the '84-'85 season. In the '85-'86 season, the Rockets won the Midwest Division, and beat the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals on a Sampson buzzer beater. In his first and only NBA Finals appearance, Sampson and the Rockets lost to the Celtics in six games. After these three illustrious seasons, Sampson was traded to the Warriors, suffered several knee and back ailments, and was never the same again. His highest ppg average in a full season with the Warriors was 6.4 ppg. If Sampson had stayed with the Rockets, with Olajuwon, and never got hurt, Houston may have been hanging a few more than two banners during the '80s and '90s.

1. Bill Walton- Two Time NBA Champion, NBA MVP, NBA Finals MVP, Two Time All-NBA Teamer, Sixth Man of the Year, Two Time NBA All-Star, and voted one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. Bill Walton achieved all of this in just ten seasons (over 12 years, he missed the entire '80-'81 and '81-'82 seasons.), only playing 65 games or more in three of those seasons. Due to his troubled feet, Walton played in only 486 of a possible 984 games over his NBA career. Walton won three consecutive College Player of the Year Awards at UCLA under John Wooden, and won two National Titles during that time. UCLA also went undefeated in two of those seasons, part of an 88 game win streak, a record that will never be broken. After being drafted first overall by the Portland Trailblazers in 1974, in Bill's first two NBA seasons injuries were already beginning to be a problem. While still putting up good averages, he only played 35 games in his rookie campaign, and 51 in his second season. Then, in the '76-'77 season, Walton was finally able to make a full impact. He played in 65 games, scoring 18.6 ppg, and leading the league in rebounds (14.4 per) and blocks (3.2 per.) Walton went on to lead the Blazers to the NBA Championship that season and was awarded NBA Finals MVP. In the '77-'78 season, Walton won the MVP despite only playing in 58 games. He spent the next six seasons as a member of the Clippers, but only played in an average of 26 games per season in Los Angeles. Walton, desperate to leave L. A. due to fan hatred for his lack of games played, got his wish when he was traded to the Celtics before the '85-'86 season. He went on to play in 80 games that season, his highest ever, win the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award, and his second NBA Championship. The next year Walton only played in ten games for the C's, and was forced to retire. More than any other player in any the history of professional sports, Bill Walton leaves me thinking, "What if . . ."