Which great players career was damaged the most by injuries?

Gregoire · Post #1 » by **Gregoire** » Wed May 1, 2024 6:13 pm

I mean only players with MVP-level potential or actual MVPs:

Grant Hill, Sabonis, Yao, Penny, T-Mac, B. Roy, Walton, Sampson, Leonard, Embiid, maybe some others...

UcanUwill · Post #2 » by **UcanUwill** » Wed May 1, 2024 6:17 pm

Grant Hill, we never seen real him in prime.

Greg Oden maybe never had MVP potential, but we don't know, so maybe him. Roy, Sabonis, Walton... Blazers just has a black cloud over this.

Post #3 » by **tsherkin** » Wed May 1, 2024 6:22 pm

UcanUwill wrote:Grant Hill, we never seen real him in prime.

We sure did, just not for long. He was 27 and in his 6th season before he went down, he wasn't new to the league at all.

KembaWalker · Post #4 » by **KembaWalker** » Wed May 1, 2024 6:27 pm

I voted for Kawhi, I think the degenerative condition that has been the focus of his career for basically his entire prime robbed us of a guy that had the potential to be a top 10 all time player

FuShengTHEGreat · Post #5 » by **FuShengTHEGreat** » Wed May 1, 2024 6:30 pm

Voted Sampson. He and Olajuwon were on the verge of something special. With more time together they could've surpassed the 97-03 Twin Tower duo of Duncan/Robinson title wise.

They could've been interchangeable in the front court.

I'll likely get flamed for this but I think if Lucas hadn't been suspended they could've even beaten Boston in 86.

pipfan · Post #6 » by **pipfan** » Wed May 1, 2024 6:34 pm

Bill Walton wins 3 or 4 MVPs if he stays healthy and is a top 10 guy-gotta be him

Post #7 » by **tsherkin** » Wed May 1, 2024 6:38 pm

KembaWalker wrote:I voted for Kawhi, I think the degenerative condition that has been the focus of his career for basically his entire prime robbed us of a guy that had the potential to be a top 10 all time player

He'd certainly be an interesting case. When healthy, he was kind of The Guy on the perimeter other than Lebron.

CS707 · Post #8 » by **CS707** » Wed May 1, 2024 6:38 pm

Walton.

EmpireFalls · Post #9 » by **EmpireFalls** » Wed May 1, 2024 6:39 pm

Len Bias, if we want to be as literal as possible.

Post #10 » by **Klomp** » Wed May 1, 2024 6:41 pm

Kevin Garnett

Without the injuries to Sam Cassell, Wally Szczerbiak and Troy Hudson in 2003-04, we would likely be talking differently about that specific group and Garnett's legacy as a whole.

SK21209 · Post #11 » by **SK21209** » Wed May 1, 2024 6:46 pm

pipfan wrote:Bill Walton wins 3 or 4 MVPs if he stays healthy and is a top 10 guy-gotta be him

Yeah, I think it has to be Walton because we saw him peak higher than these other guys.

SK21209 · Post #12 » by **SK21209** » Wed May 1, 2024 6:48 pm

Klomp wrote:Kevin Garnett

Without the injuries to Sam Cassell, Wally Szczerbiak and Troy Hudson in 2003-04, we would likely be talking differently about that specific group and Garnett's legacy as a whole.

Interesting perspective on the question (injuries to teammates vs. to the player himself). You could also look at how KG would be viewed if he didn't get injured in 09 and the Celtics won back to back. As a Laker fan, I certainly wouldn't be making either case lol.

AbeVigodaLive · Post #13 » by **AbeVigodaLive** » Wed May 1, 2024 6:52 pm

pipfan wrote:Bill Walton wins 3 or 4 MVPs if he stays healthy and is a top 10 guy-gotta be him

It's possible. Consider...

In his 3rd season... Bill Walton won an NBA title and was #2 in MVP voting.
In his 4th season, he was even better... he won the MVP... despite playing only 58 games.

He played only 14 games over the next FOUR seasons... when he was in his prime (26 - 30).

[Note: He's one of only two MVPs on the list... AND... missed the most games in his prime on the list, too. How is it not Walton?]

The Explorer · Post #14 » by **The Explorer** » Wed May 1, 2024 6:54 pm

I'll put D Rose up there. The man won an MVP at just 22 and never reached his prime. He put those Bulls teams on his back and they were neck-and-neck with the Heat. If he reached his prime healthy, he would definitely have at least 1-2 titles by now.

Ambrose · Post #15 » by **Ambrose** » Wed May 1, 2024 7:04 pm

Bill Walton. Dude was arguably the best player in the league, far better than most on the list, and only had a 2.5 year prime. If he's healthy, he's a top 20 guy ever, and the entire history of the league changes dramatically.

JRoy · Post #16 » by **JRoy** » Wed May 1, 2024 7:05 pm

UcanUwill wrote:Grant Hill, we never seen real him in prime.

Greg Oden maybe never had MVP potential, but we don't know, so maybe him. Roy, Sabonis, Walton... Blazers just has a black cloud over this.

We’re #1, we’re #1!!!

jokeboy86 · Post #17 » by **jokeboy86** » Wed May 1, 2024 7:13 pm

Walton easily because when both were healthy many said he was better than Kareem a guy who by most accounts is no lower than the greatest NBA player of all time and the greatest overall basketball player of all time.

Basically healthy Walton was a more athletic Jokic with way better defense

Frank Dux · Post #18 » by **Frank Dux** » Wed May 1, 2024 7:19 pm

UcanUwill wrote:Grant Hill, we never seen real him in prime.

Greg Oden maybe never had MVP potential, but we don't know, so maybe him. Roy, Sabonis, Walton... Blazers just has a black cloud over this.

The Blazers injury history is just brutal. I’d actually argue that Oden had MVP potential. He’d probably have a similar ceiling to Embiid in terms of impact.

JustBuzzin · Post #19 » by **JustBuzzin** » Wed May 1, 2024 7:23 pm

Grant Hill was LeBron before LeBron

FuShengTHEGreat · Post #20 » by **FuShengTHEGreat** » Wed May 1, 2024 7:49 pm

pipfan wrote:Bill Walton wins 3 or 4 MVPs if he stays healthy and is a top 10 guy-gotta be him

Highly debatable. In terms of league MVPS another monstrous peak HOF C named Moses Malone was emerging right around the time Walton started ailing.

And in terms of Finals MVPs with the addition of Magic and Bird it was almost (83 Philly) impossible for anyone outside of LA or Boston to win a title once the 80s started