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NBA Injuries: 20 Stars Who Deserve A Career Do-Over

By Gerald Bourguet

AUBURN HILLS, UNITED STATES: Detroit Pistons player Grant Hill (L) drives around Indiana Pacers player Chris Mullin during the first half of their game 07 February at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Pistons beat the Pacers 107-98. AFP PHOTO/JEFF KOWALSKY (Photo credit should read JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP/Getty Images)
AUBURN HILLS, UNITED STATES: Detroit Pistons player Grant Hill (L) drives around Indiana Pacers player Chris Mullin during the first half of their game 07 February at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Pistons beat the Pacers 107-98. AFP PHOTO/JEFF KOWALSKY (Photo credit should read JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP/Getty Images) /
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NBA Injuries
1990: Loyola Marymount Lions fans honor the memory of #44 Hank Gathers, who had recently collapsed and died during a game on March 4, 1990. (Photo by Andy Hayt/Getty Images) /

17. Hank Gathers

If you’re an avid fan of ESPN’s 30 For 30 series, you’re probably already aware of the story of Hank Gathers, a Loyola Marymount star who tragically died during a college game. As a high school stud, Gathers soon played at USC with his childhood teammate and friend Bo Kimble before both transferred to LMU following their freshmen seasons.

After missing the subsequent season due to NCAA regulations, Gathers and Kimble led the Loyola Marymount Lions to a stellar 28-4 record. The following season, Gathers became the second player in NCAA history to lead the nation in scoring (32.7 PPG) AND rebounding (13.7 RPG) in the same season.

A 6’7″, 210-pound power forward, Gathers didn’t really ever shoot beyond 10 feet. But even as a candidate for player of the year in his senior season, he wasn’t one of those typical NCAA stars who figured to peak before entering the NBA; he had a ton of upside and was projected as a lottery pick.

But Gathers had an abnormal heartbeat and felt the medication for his condition negatively affected his play and energy level during games. He gradually cut back on his dosage and missed appointments to check if the reduced amount of medication was still handling the arrhythmias properly.

On Mar. 4, 1990, he collapsed in a game against the Portland Pilots after a tomahawk dunk on an alley-oop and died in the hospital later that day, tragically ending a promising NBA career before it ever began. He never got to play in the association, and death can hardly be described as an “injury,” but he might have had a very promising NBA career if not for the condition that ultimately took his life.

Next: No. 16