From Kawhi Leonard to Derrick Rose: 7 Biggest What Ifs in NBA History

Kawhi Leonard is injured again and it is unclear whether he will be back for the playoffs. The Los Angeles Clippers are down 3-1 to the Phoenix Suns in the first round and it is highly likely their season ends this week.

Most of that is due to the injuries of Paul George and Leonard, the latter of whom has had bad luck with injuries recently and even attracted claims he is one of the biggest what-ifs in NBA history.

This has prompted Sports Brief to look at some great NBA talents that never lived up to the lofty expectations.

The sport has witnessed generational talents retire early because of injuries and off-court issues, among other things. We have seen Stephen Curry overcome ankle issues to become one of the greatest players of all time.

The NBA's 7 biggest what-ifs

it is interesting that Leonard is on this list despite winning two NBA titles and two NBA Finals MVP awards. He has proven he can play at the highest level and deliver when needed. However, his latest injury has ruined what was expected to be a great season for the Los Angeles Clippers.

He missed all of last season due to a partially torn ACL and hasn't caught a breath. He has shown he can go toe-to-toe with the best but can't stay healthy enough. It is frustrating for Clippers fans, since they finally have a team that can win a title but their star player is always injured.

The Detroit Pistons selected him No. 3 overall in the 1994 NBA Draft with high expectations. He fulfilled them by winning the Rookie of the Year award and going to six All-Star Games in his first seven seasons.

Hill averaged 21.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game in his first six seasons. However, he was then plagued with nagging injuries that saw him struggle to recapture his former glory.

Being the No. 1 pick in the NBA comes with a lot of expectations. Derrick Rose was the top pick in 2008 and fulfilled some of those expectations in the first few years in the league.

The 34-year-old won Rookie of the Year, an MVP, and made three All-Star appearances in his first four seasons with the Chicago Bulls. He even led the Bulls to the Eastern Conference finals.

All that promise came crashing down when he suffered an ACL injury in his fourth year. Since then, things were never the same. He lost his explosiveness and became a bench player. Rose had so much potential but injuries prevented him from reaching that.

Oden was selected No. 1 ahead of Kevin Durant in the 2007 draft, meaning there was a lot of pressure on him to perform. Sadly, he didn't, missing his rookie season due to injuries.

Oden then played 82 games in two seasons. Moreover, he missed the following three seasons due to injuries. He attempted a comeback with the Miami Heat in the 2013/14 season but played just 23 games, per NBC Sports.

Bill Walton was the No. 1 pick in the 1974 NBA Draft. He was selected by the Trail Blazers and let Portland to their only NBA title in 1977, winning the MVP award that same year.

After that, things went downhill. He missed three full seasons due to injuries. While he would win another NBA title in 1986 with the Boston Celtics, injuries derailed his career. He was expected to be one of the best centers the NBA has ever seen, per Sportscasting.

The Portland Trail Blazers are one unlucky team. They drafted Brandon Roy, No. 6 overall in the 2006 draft, and he quickly became a household name. He won the Rookie of the Year award before making three straight All-Star games after that.

However, a degenerative knee condition ruined his career. Roy retired after five NBA seasons. He attempted to make a comeback in 2012 but was out after a few games, per the Athletic.

Len Bias was the second-overall pick in the 1986 draft. He was regarded by many to be the most complete forward ever to come out of college because of his versatility. He was drafted by the Celtics after they won their third NBA title of the decade, per Bleacher Report.

The Celtics were looking to put Bias alongside Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish to form a fearsome quartet. Less than two full days later, Bias reportedly died from drug intoxication, collapsing in a Maryland dorm room while partying with friends. He was 22 years old, per USA Today.

Ranking of the top 15 best bald NBA players to ever play basketball!

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Honorable mentions: Jay Williams, Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady, Penny Hardaway, Shawn Kemp, Ralph Sampson, Reggie Lewis, and Victor Oladipo.

Leonard's injury history

Sports Brief has previously reported on Leonard's injury history, which has been mounting over the last few seasons.

He suffered a sprained ankle in the 2017 Western Conference finals and then played a total of nine games due to a quad injuryin the following season due to a right quad injury.

Leonard has also missed games due to load management and was absent all of last season due to a partially torn ACL.