Injury Prone
This player was a playmaking machine, earning four straight All-Star appearances for the Magic after his rookie season. He played until he was 36, but he only twice played more than 70 games after his last All-Star appearance. The rest of his career was filled with injuries and frustrating rehabilitation.
Anfernee Hardaway
Orlando Magic: Points
#2. Nick Anderson
#3. Nikola Vucevic
Dwight Howard
This former Wildcat and 2008-09 NBA Sixth Man of the Year averaged 16.8 points, 4.7 assists, and 38.3% from three-point land while playing with the Hawks and Mavericks from 2000-2012.
Jason Terry
Games Played
2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1,560)
3. Vince Carter (1,541)
Robert Parish (1,611)
As a Player: 1979-1991 & 1995-1996
Lakers (13)
As a Head Coach: 1993-1994
Lakers (16 games)
Magic Johnson
January 24, 2015
In front of a sellout Oracle Arena crowd, this player scored 37 points against the Kings in one quarter, the most in history.
Klay Thompson
By age 27, this 1997 9th overall pick from Auburndale High School had earned 7 straight All-Star nods and 2 scoring titles. Ailing injuries, notably back spasms, plagued him his entire career. He averaged 53 games per season the final 6 years of his career.
Tracy McGrady
Houston Rockets: Points Per Game
#2. Moses Malone (24.0)
#3. Tracy McGrady (22.7)
James Harden (29.6)
This guards first eight years in the league, spent with the Cavaliers and Clippers, almost certainly warranted an all star selection. He joined Clyde Drexler and Michael Jordan as the only three players to average more than 19 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals during that time. Later in his career he won 5 NBA championships in 6 years with the Bulls and Lakers.
Ron Harper
Blocks
2. Dikembe Mutombo (3,289)
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (3,189)
Hakeem Olajuwon (3,830)
As a Player: 1996-2014
Suns (2), Mavericks (6), Suns (8), Lakers (2)
As a Head Coach: 2020-2023
Nets
Steve Nash
2000, Rising Stars Game
In a career full of jaw dropping assists, this players elbow pass to Raef LaFrentz may be the most memorable.
Jason Williams
This 6'10" 8x All-Star with very distinct facial hair has played in 70+ games only twice in his 11 year career (2012-2023). None of his injuries appear chronic, which begs the question if he is injury prone or a poster boy for the more recent NBA practice of "load management".
Anthony Davis
New York Knicks: 3-Point FGs
#2. Allan Houston
#3. Carmelo Anthony
John Starks
From 2000-2011, this players averaged 14.4 points, 7.2 assists, 4.1 rebounds, 1.4 steals while playing with the Cavs, Clippers, Nuggets, 76ers, and Trail Blazers. He is the only player in NBA history to have at least 16,000 career points, 8,000 assists and 1,500 steals without making an All-Star game. He has also been dubbed The Professor.
Andre Miller
Steals
2. Jason Kidd (2,684)
3. Chris Paul (2,544)
John Stockton (3,265)
As a Player: 1981-1995
Celtics (8), Kings (2), Trail Blazers (2), Suns (3
As a Head Coach: 1996-2000
Suns
Danny Ainge
2016, Game 7 of the NBA Finals
One of the most clutch defensive plays in NBA Finals history is referred to as "The Block". LeBron James somehow chased down and rejected this Warrior's lay up attempt with less than 2 minutes remaining in a tied game.
Andre Iguodala
Right knee cartilage damage in 2004 effectively kept this straight-from-high-school 2003 Rookie of the Year and 6x All-Star out through the 2005-2006 season. In 2009, the big man missed the final 29 regular season games of 2008–09 as well as the playoffs due to a partially detached retina in his right eye. More and more injuries kept him from achieving any more All-Star appearances in his after age 29.
Amar'e Stoudamire
Toronto Raptors: Points
#2. Kyle Lowry
#3. Chris Bosh
DeMar DeRozan
From 2004-2014, this former Wolverine averaged 17.1 points, 3.8 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.0 steals while playing with the Bulls, Knicks, Warriors, Hawks, Trail Blazers, and Clippers. He was also a three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year.
Jamal Crawford
Personal Fouls
2. Karl Malone (4,578)
3. Robert Parish (4,443)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (4,657)
As a Player: 1976-1985 & 1988-1990
76ers (2), Rockets (5), Spurs (1), Bucks (2), Bucks (2)
As a Head Coach: 1990-2010
Lakers (2), Bucks (4), Trail Blazers (4), Clippers (7)
Mike Dunleavy, Sr
2002, Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals
Kobe misses. Shaq misses. Vlade Divac slaps the rebound out to the arc in an attempt to run out the clock. This Laker casually scoops it up and drills a three-pointer at the buzzer to win the game and tie the series.
Robert Horry
This former 2nd overall draft pick out of the Big Ten Conference earned his first All Star bid in his 5th season (2018). Since then, he hasn't played more than 42 games in a season, suffering three season-ending injuries in 4 seasons from 2019-2023.
Victor Oladipo
Brooklyn Nets: Points Per Game
#2. Kevin Durant (29.0)
#3. Julius Erving (28.2)
Rick Barry (30.6)
From 1993-1998, while playing for the Trail Blazers and Bullets, this former DePaul Blue Demon averaged 17.9 points, 9.4 assists, and 1.7 steals. He earned All-NBA in 1997-98, but no All Star bids.
Rod Strickland
Free Throw %
T2. Steve Nash (90.4)
T2. Mark Price (90.4)
Stephen Curry (90.9)
As a Player: 1986-1996
Bucks (1), Pacers (2), Magic (5), Bullets (1), 76ers (1)
As a Head Coach: 1999-2016
Suns (4), Bulls (5), Bucks (5), Magic (1)
Scott Skiles
1991, Game 2 NBA Finals
Michael Jordan drove down the lane and went up for a layup. But when this Lakers center came to contest the shot, Jordan had to acrobatically adjust to a left-handed finish, midair.
Sam Perkins