NBA Power Rankings: Andrew Bynum and the 15 Most Injury-Prone Players
We’ve all seen our favorite NBA players on the bench, in street clothes, jumping up out of their chairs after a sick dunk, making us all go, “Whoa, isn’t he supposed to have a bad back?”
Still, there are some players who have gotten more comfortable with courtside seats and rehab centers than they have with charging fouls and open jumpers.
The NBA has had their fair share of injury-prone guys: Here is a look at the 15 most injury-prone players of today.
15. Dwyane Wade, G, Miami Heat
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He might be part of the most impressive trio of basketball, but Dwayne Wade is not the most durable athlete in the game.
Since 2003, Wade has never played in a full NBA season. And from '06 to '08 he missed over 60 games.
While he isn’t the most injury-prone guy here, he’s been banged up enough to make the list.
14. Jaokim Noah, F/C, Chicago Bulls
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Joakim is one of my favorite players, but each season you are just waiting for something to go wrong.
Sure, his first two seasons were a durable effort, but he missed 25 games last year, and should miss another 30 this year.
That sounds like an injury-prone guy to me.
13. Amare Stoudamire, F/C, New York Knicks
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Three times in his career Amare has missed more than 22 games. This includes the 2005-06 season where he played just three games before microfracture surgery.
In 2009, he missed time for a detached retina and some speculate he’ll need major surgery again.
The Knicks have big money riding on Amare winning a title before he gets sidelined again.
Who’s gonna win that race?
12. Luol Deng, F, Chicago Bulls
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Maybe Luol Deng was never meant to be the superstar everyone thought he was going to be.
Maybe he never could stay healthy enough to try—Deng has played 80 games or more in a season. Every other season has seen him miss 10 games or more.
Many times he has missed more than that.
You can’t blossom into a superstar if you aren’t on the floor.
11. Andrei Kirilenko, F, Utah Jazz
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AK-47 is one of the most valued members of the Utah Jazz—he is also one of the most oft-injured members.
Since the start of the 2004 season he has only played in 70 games or more twice.
He’s a mortal lock to miss time every year.
10. Carlos Boozer, F, Chicago Bulls
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Anyone notice a trend? Deng, Noah and Boozer…the Bulls like guys who like the injury report.
In four different seasons, Booze has missed significant time with an injury.
This year it was falling down the stairs (not punching a wall which caused him to have boxer's break in his hand).
If the Bulls want to be an elite team they have to hope those injury-prone days are behind him.
9. Gilbert Arenas, G, Orlando Magic
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Sure, he missed most of last year because he brought a gun to the office. Big deal (just kidding).
But Arenas wasn’t playing much before then either—in the three seasons prior to pistol incident, he played in a total of 47 games.
Good idea it was giving him all that money.
Good luck, Orlando.
8. Eddy Curry, C, New York Knicks
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Is fat an injury?
Regardless of the ailment (and the irregular heart beat was a serious one) Curry hasn’t played much in the last few years.
Four times in his career has he missed significant chunks of time due to injury and isn’t playing at all this season.
He’s still getting paid though. Thank you, Isaiah.
7. Kevin Martin, G, Houston Rockets
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His middle initial is D, but it doesn’t stand for “Durable.”
Kevin Martin has made a career of being injured. In his six seasons in the league, he’s missed 10 games or more four times.
And he’s played 51 or less three times.
The only question about Martin isn’t will he, but when?
6. Tracy McGrady, F, Detroit Pistons
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Whether you believe Tracy McGrady was ever going to be one of the great ones, you have to admit that injuries haven’t helped him.
Seven times he’s played less than 70 games. Five times he has played less than 50.
McGrady is a china doll—you can’t debate that.
5. Grant Hill, F, Phoenix Suns
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It’s so great to see Grant Hill playing regularly again, but there was a seven-year stretch where he was a ghost on the NBA courts.
Hill played less than 30 games four times and has played less than 70 seven times.
It drives people crazy thinking what he could have been.
4. Andrew Bynum, C, Los Angeles Lakers
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Andrew Bynum’s significant numbers are 46, 35, 50 and 65.
Those are the number of games he’s played in outside the 2006-07 campaign.
I know big men are supposed to be a little more injury-prone, but Bynum is more familiar with the trainers room than with the Staples Center.
3. Yao Ming, C, Houston Rockets
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He was supposed to revolutionize the center position. Instead he’s been an injury-prone center.
He has missed at least 20 games in four seasons—this year he got a whimpy five under his belt.
Injury-prone big man? Nothing revolutionary about that.
2. Brandon Roy, G, Portland Trail Blazers
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My friend remarked that I could have easily put the entire Blazers roster on the list, but Roy has been the worst.
And saddest.
In the last two seasons he’s played 65 and 23 games, respectively.
What puts him on this list is that with almost no knee cartilage left, he’s a lock to be injured again.
1. Greg Oden, C, Portland Trail Blazers
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You think the Blazers would like their pick back?
Oden played in 61 games his first year, 21 his second year, and won’t play at all this year—or maybe ever again.
Kevin Durant will haunt them for years the way Jordan did with their Sam Bowie pick.
