Injuries are a part of sports. No one is immune from them, whether it’s superstars or role players on the bench. Likewise, in the game of basketball, centers and forwards in particular appear to be most susceptible to lower body injuries due to the burden their size and weight puts on the lower joints.
Some former NBA big men that come to mind include former No. 1 picks Greg Oden and Yao Ming. Plagued by injuries, Oden’s career never got off the ground, and he only managed to play in 105 games over three seasons. Although Yao had a very successful eight-year NBA career when he was healthy, he was unfortunately injured quite often, especially during his prime years from 2005 to 2008.