Let’s face it: Injuries suck! There is no other way to put it except to say that they are the worst part of sports.
After he looked incredibly promising during his time at NBA 2K23 Summer League in Las Vegas, fans were excited to see Chet Holmgren suit up for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was one of the immediate favorites to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year, though those bets were since voided.
It’s a bummer for Holmgren, who injured his foot while playing in a Pro-Am game. But it’s not all bad news. The Thunder are now well-positioned to land top draft prospect Victor Wembanyama. Plus, just because Holmgren is hurt now does not mean his career is ruined.
Rookie seasons are important for development. But there are several notable players who got hurt during their first year in the league but went on to have great success for the remainder of their careers.
1
Joel Embiid
Due to various foot injuries, former Kansas big man Joel Embiid was sidelined for both of his first two seasons after he was drafted with the No. 3 overall pick in 2014.
After earning NBA All-Rookie honors once he finally made his professional debut in 2016-17, however, Embiid has earned All-Star nods in each season since then. He has played 50 games or more in all five of those campaigns.
The Philadelphia star has also finished as the MVP runner-up two in each of the last two seasons. He was the NBA scoring champion in 2022.
2
Blake Griffin
Blake Griffin was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.
He was named Summer League MVP but suffered a stress fracture in his left knee, which required surgery. He returned to the court the following year and became the first rookie voted to the All-Star Game by coaches since 1998. He went on to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year in 2011.
Griffin is a six-time NBA All-Star who has twelve years of pro experience.
3
Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, made All-Las Vegas Summer League First Team shortly after he was drafted.
But he rolled his ankle during a pre-season team scrimmage and suffered a foot injury. While he was only expected to miss the first three or four months of the season, he was later ruled out for the entire season.
Simmons went on to win Rookie of the Year in 2018 and then made three consecutive All-Star teams between 2019 and 2021. He led the league in steals in 2021 and is a two-time All-Defensive First-Team recipient.
4
Nerlens Noel
Nerlens Noel was a projected No. 1 overall pick coming out of high school but suffered a torn ACL while in college at Kentucky.
He was eventually selected with the sixth pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Pelicans but was traded to the 76ers in exchange for Jrue Holiday. Noel then had knee surgery that kept him out for the entirety of his drafted season.
Noel made NBA All-Rookie First-Team in 2015 and while he has not lived up to pre-draft expectations, he has become a fairly good role player in the frontcourt, especially on the defensive side of the floor.
5
Michael Porter Jr.
Michael Porter Jr. was the national high school player of the year in 2017, but back injuries limited his productivity during college at Missouri.
Health concerns caused Porter to slip to the No. 14 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Shortly after he was selected, Porter underwent a back surgery that kept him sidelined for the entirety of his drafted season.
Porter played well enough once he returned to the floor to earn a 5-year, $172 million rookie extension. Injuries, however, have continued to factor into his playing time on the Nuggets.
6
Julius Randle
The Lakers selected Julius Randle with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.
But after logging only fourteen minutes in his first professional game with Los Angeles, he broke his right tibia. He missed the entirety of the season.
After eventually leaving the Lakers in free agency and signing with the Pelicans and the Knicks, Randle eventually had his most successful pro season in 2020-21. He was an All-Star who made second-team All-NBA, winning the NBA’s Most Improved Player award.
7
Zion Williamson
Although he did eventually suit up for 24 games as a rookie, Zion Williamson was significantly limited by injury during his first professional campaign.
After tearing his meniscus during the preseason, he logged only 668 minutes as a rookie. Williamson played well enough, however, that he still was able to earn first-team All-Rookie honors.
Williamson missed all of last season. But in July 2022, he signed a 5-year, $193 million extension. When healthy, he is indisputably one of the most exciting players in basketball.
8
Bill Walton
I looked at each Basketball Hall of Famer who made their NBA debut after 1956, and I sorted the results by total games played during their first active season.
Walton’s 35 games were the lowest of anyone other than Ben Wallace, who was an undrafted free agent. Here is how his professional career began (via NBA.com):
“During his first two years in Portland, Walton had sprained an ankle, broken his left wrist twice and dislocated two toes and two fingers. He even broke a toe on a water sprinkler and hurt his leg in a jeep accident.”
He later went on to win two NBA championships, however, winning NBA Finals MVP in 1977 and NBA MVP in 1978.
