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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
May 30, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat center Greg Oden (middle) hoists the conference championship trophy after defeating the Indiana Pacers in game six of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

13. Greg Oden

Poor Greg Oden…although there was little to feel sorry about when he was charged for battery after allegedly punching his girlfriend in 2014. Strictly from a playing standpoint, however, Oden’s potential as an NBA double-double machine was disappointingly denied by an incessant barrage of injuries.

Taken with the first overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, the former Ohio State star (who, consequently, looked like he was 40 back in college) did little to help the Portland Trail Blazers get over the bad memories of Sam Bowie from the late 80s when he missed his entire rookie season because of microfracture surgery on his ailing right knee.

In what should have been his second season, Oden averaged 8.9 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 21.5 minutes per game, but he also missed 21 games due to a foot injury and a chipped left kneecap. The following year, he was limited to 21 games because of a left knee injury that ended his season in December, despite bumping up his averages to 11.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

Oden wouldn’t play for the next three seasons because of a laundry list of various surgeries and setbacks on his knees that are too long and depressing to flesh out in full detail. He returned to action during the 2013-14 season for the Miami Heat, but ultimately played just 23 games as the team lost in the NBA Finals.

Though Oden has since worked out for the Memphis Grizzlies, Charlotte Hornets and Dallas Mavericks, he most recently played 25 games in China for the Jiangsu Dragons. With a total of 105 games and three seasons to his NBA resume (when he should be in his ninth season), Oden’s career has been a sad, injury-stunted story for a long time now.

Next: No. 12