NBA Stars Who Returned from Career-Ending Injuries

By: Fatima Roshni Image credit: Nets Daily

[{"selector":"#anim-0b1ee324-441f-45e2-a4ef-6cf83785cb27 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(23.389434710473303%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-44332e27-28b9-4b36-9cb1-22afb45e74af","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-426c4883-e635-4cc0-a36e-8f75608e9a1a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -494.32288%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-676517f7-8601-4c5a-93db-e367693e7cb7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-33a12f97-dd97-445f-a461-2bda843be2b3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-95.77778%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Sports athletes always carry a sense of fear among themselves in terms of getting injured while, on the other hand, facing the repercussions caused by a physical sport such as basketball.

[{"selector":"#anim-128e69af-8320-4bf5-8af0-ff959029cf3f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-61.62844941970367%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c5ade87b-688c-4fd8-8156-2644d822c8a3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-816c7082-c95f-45f5-af72-6358296a03e5","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c3808974-0a83-4e09-ab7a-5096abd9017e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-08144c1c-90f0-46f6-a1b8-917cf6239121","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] A handful of NBA players throughout its history held some of the nerve-wracking and serious injuries leading towards their career end, carrying the highest possibility during the career peak.

[{"selector":"#anim-7e9be7cf-482d-4eed-9447-fda9c2209381","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f0bbc7bf-fabb-41d6-83b8-b3f817250f2d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 63.23179%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f9efbe26-1112-4d83-afcd-f7e14a91d60b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-36174cd9-0d6a-4fe4-924d-db8122241583 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(59.36714104620838%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Memphis Grizzlies guard Derrick Rose, a 2008 draftee and NBA MVP currently in the 15th season of his career, has survived through a series of injuries, including his eyes and knee.

[{"selector":"#anim-e284f387-7537-41fa-847b-2283f80d2c46 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-54.96100727782095%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b2e77fe7-f78a-46e5-9342-1f8f4d53b3c0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2ac9c447-e5f0-4166-8f7f-ed9f51eb322f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-95.60439%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a2c1d568-d303-4fdc-b6fa-fa2766ebbc96","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f72b0e07-23e0-45e3-b350-8e709ccd171e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.67891%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Followed by Derrick is former sixth-time Man of the Year Jamal Crawford, carrying a nerve-wracking past of his ACL tore injury suffered during training alongside former teammate Michael Jordan.

[{"selector":"#anim-149bc118-9f3e-429c-b35d-66d29a6f96a1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6742dad5-cab9-43bf-a89c-cd399677b9a4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d4cf05f0-e370-4655-848b-d5c009d7f677","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8f0a7e8c-10e1-44f4-a2ea-93b4a2d9cd9c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(61.820266046208374%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Chicago Bulls shooting guard Zach Lavine, having established his NBA career as a two-time Slam Dunk Champion, suffered a big blow from an ACL tore missing out on a majority of his career seasons.

[{"selector":"#anim-84805ced-712a-4e63-9375-298454a8276e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-62.21252680065605%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-18974f4b-a050-4436-a7b5-19cec89945f2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a92626b4-5523-4c95-8da1-fc796c9dfefb","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7a93652a-f346-4841-8e22-b711717c0963","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dde533db-9715-41f9-a45c-774cf4f61c59","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Establishing his career as an experienced player in the league, Pheonix Suns star Kevin Durant carries prominence, including his achilles tore in the 2019 NBA Finals Game 6, missing out on the series.

[{"selector":"#anim-e9cf7afa-6b94-4940-bd53-ea147263d20e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6e75ca02-d47c-41f1-bc46-6ef2f9413dcd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 68.33931%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-760623a9-af23-415b-aac1-602c9bb82399","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-55a566a0-717f-40f7-b86a-4359d16f98a6 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(61.56770824402052%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Besides gaining prominence as a Splash Brother duo, Klay Thompson's 2019 NBA Finals ACL tore injury affected his career further with a second Achilles tore injury missing out on two seasons.

[{"selector":"#anim-f3b20359-41d0-4286-9b93-2aee67d74b7f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-58.352306899102146%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8bcda098-d061-4111-96b6-e67c00d6c860","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2500,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-47320a58-275f-4387-945c-5d2326b8bb8d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7478a088-aafb-49ec-a3ea-afedc84b4a3c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George, who has currently been inactive in terms of maintaining his prominence in his career after suffering a series of multiple knee injuries dating back to 2014–15.

[{"selector":"#anim-a852dce8-55fb-4a36-8fb0-d5fffb608ecd [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(70.5624998213744%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5c343f28-013c-48fa-ab07-81b255fa58bb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6d52bf3d-41da-42cd-bbbb-8832994d9e9d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -489.2914%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fc31a2a5-f8f2-489e-98d1-a5dd08e35fa0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-618992ba-d16c-4110-aeac-8a03516364ee","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-95.77778%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Besides the mentioned list of players, former player like Grant Hill, and current players like Gordon Hayward, Shaun Livingston, Amar'e Stoudemire are also included.

NBA Stars Who Returned from Career-Ending Injuries

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