NBA Which career has been the biggest "what if" in NBA History?

[Maestro84]

Not too long ago, I posted a thread called "which NHL career has been the biggest what if," so I decided to do the same for the NBA.

Click to read more...

 

[BostonBob]

Gotta go with Len Bias. When both Red Auerbach and Larry Bird say that this guy was destined to be the next Celtics legend it makes what happened even more sad.

 

[yvrtojfk]

Went with Rose.

 

[Voight]

Magic + T mac had their hall of fame cases sowed up before the injury's/illness came, so i don't think there was much more we would have seen.

Rose hit his peak before the knee injury, so while I don't know if he'd win another MVP he likely lost out on more All-NBA teams, maybe a scoring title.

 

[Voight]

Gotta go with Len Bias. When both Red Auerbach and Larry Bird say that this guy was destined to be the next Celtics legend it makes what happened even more sad.

Ok but to be fair one was his GM, one was his future team mate.

So I am sure their opinions are a little tainted, but Bias did have a lot of potential.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

Rose was always bound to kill his knees. He always played like a kangaroo and his knees took severe beatings every night.

EDIT: Of course, BostonBob with the homer vote.

 

[Suiteness]

This thread needs more Grant Hill.

 

[BostonBob]

Ok but to be fair one was his GM, one was his future team mate.

So I am sure their opinions are a little tainted, but Bias did have a lot of potential.

Well sure - as is my opinion. But a lot of NBA " experts " were saying that at that time Bias had skill set to dominate the league. The other reason I picked him is that at least all the other options listed had players that actually played in the NBA for a certain amount of time but we never got a chance to see Bias play a single second.

 

[Terry Yake]

grant hill

rose right behind him

 

[sparxx87]

Grant Hill & Penny Hardaway

 

[BostonBob]

EDIT: Of course, BostonBob with the homer vote.

Funny that my " homer pick " has 60% of the votes. But keep that Celtics hate going.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

Funny that my " homer pick " has 60% of the votes. But keep that Celtics hate going.

Wow. 6 out of 10 votes. Congrats.

Everyone knows you're a massive homer. Celtics can do no wrong in your world. Well, it's a toss-up between you and Voight with his Lakers.

 

[BostonBob]

Wow. 6 out of 10 votes. Congrats.

Everyone knows you're a massive homer. Celtics can do no wrong in your world.

Of course I'm a Celtics homer just like everybody else here ( including you ) is a " homer " when it comes to their team of choice. But I guess everybody else ( including you ) can slurp on their favourite teams and that's perfectly OK.

 

[BostonBob]

Wow. 6 out of 10 votes. Congrats.

My point is that I wasn't the only one to vote for Bias.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

Magic + T mac had their hall of fame cases sowed up before the injury's/illness came, so i don't think there was much more we would have seen.

Rose hit his peak before the knee injury, so while I don't know if he'd win another MVP he likely lost out on more All-NBA teams, maybe a scoring title.

A good What if is what if t mac stayed with the raptors and did not have to carry a magic team with a frequently injured grant hill.

 

[Neutrinos]

What if McGrady stayed with Toronto is a good one

What if Jordan hadn't retired after each 3-peat?

 

[BostonBob]

A couple more good " what if " options:

- Reggie Lewis dying of a heart attack at the age of 27 ( yeah I know - another homer pick. )
- Drazen Petrovic killed in a car accident at the age of 28

 

[Vamos Rafa]

A good What if is what if t mac stayed with the raptors and did not have to carry a magic team with a frequently injured grant hill.

What if Doc Rivers allowed TD's family to be on the team plane? TD would've signed with the Magic and even with Hill and his injuries, the T-Mac-TD duo would've at least made the Finals.

 

[Maestro84]

Added Hill and Penny. Can’t beleive I forgot to add them to the poll smh

 

[BostonBob]

What if Doc Rivers allowed TD's family to be on the team plane? TD would've signed with the Magic and even with Hill and his injuries, the T-Mac-TD duo would've at least made the Finals.

Damn - never heard that before.

 

[kihei]

Len Bias. Most of the others pale in comparison.

 

[BostonBob]

Thought of a few more " what if " scenarios:

- what if the ABA never happened and guys like Dr.J played their whole careers in the NBA ????
- what if Bill Walton never had any knee problems ???? How many titles would Portland have won during the late 70's and early 80's ????
- and then there's a bunch when it comes to trades and drafts: what if Charlotte never traded Kobe Bryant to LA, what if Detroit drafted Carmelo, Bosh or Wade instead of Darko Milicic, what if Portland drafted Jordan instead of Bowie, what if OKC kept Harden over Westbrook or Durant or even kept all 3 players, what if Shaq stayed in Orlando, what if Shaq stayed in LA, what if Kareem stayed in Milwaukee and what if David Stern didn't veto the Chris Paul trade to LA ????

 

[Morozov]

What if the Thunder didn't blow a 3-1 lead against the Warriors?

 

[Neutrinos]

What if Bill Walton had been healthy?

 

[bambamcam4ever]

What if the Thunder didn't blow a 3-1 lead against the Warriors?

What if KD wasn't a loser and didn't sign with GS?