Often hailed as one of the most prestigious basketball leagues in the world, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has witnessed numerous prominent basketball players, including LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kobe Bryant, Miachael Jordan and many others, who have dictated the opponent teams and reigned supreme on the court for years with their ruthless moves and massive fan base from all around the world.
While the iconic basketball players of the NBA have witnessed an undeniable rise in their prominence on a global level, they have also been through their share of struggles and have constantly juggled through grueling schedules, fast-paced matches and cut-throat rivalries. As a consequence, numerous prominent NBA players have also witnessed their careers derailed due to injuries. However, only a few legendary NBA players, including Damian Lillard, have had the fearless approach, fought through their injuries and made roaring comebacks in the world’s most prestigious basketball league, the National Basketball Association.
In this article we will take a look at the top four NBA players who didn’t let injures shorten their glorious careers.
NBA: Top 4 Stars Who Didn’t Let Injury Shorten Their Careers ft. Damian Lillard
Paul George
The 35-year-old American professional basketball player Paul George, who currently plays for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA), is at the first spot in our list of the top four NBA stars who fearlessly fought against all the odds and never allowed the injuries to ruin their glorious careers. Often popularly referred to as “PG-13” in the world of professional basketball, Paul George is a nine-time NBA All-Star and six-time member of the All-NBA Team, as well as a four-time member of the NBA All-Defensive Team, speaking volumes about his unwavering dominance on the court.
Paul George sustained a major compound fracture in his right leg during a Team USA intrasquad scrimmage on 1 August 2014. George’s brutal injury where his bone broke through the skin left his fans worried about his NBA career. The American basketball sensation, Paul George, underwent immediate surgery where the doctors inserted a rod into his leg. Paul George undoubtedly fought his battle against the gruesome injury and made a roaring comeback on 5 April 2015 as he played his first game for the Pacers, scoring 13 points in 15 minutes.
LeBron James
Often popularly hailed as one of the greatest basketball players in the history of the National Basketball Association, LeBron James is at the second spot in our list of the top four NBA players who didn’t let injuries shorten their glorious careers. The 40-year-old American professional basketball player, LeBron James, who currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA), has clinched the inaugural NBA Cup in 2023 with the Lakers and has won three Olympic gold medals as a member of the U.S. national team.
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Additionally, he is also regarded as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and has clinched four NBA championships from 10 NBA Finals appearances. The legendary NBA player, LeBron James, sustained a major groin tear in the 2018-19 season while going for a loose ball in the third quarter. As a consequence, LeBron James was forced to miss out on seventeen consecutive games and while his fans and millions of basketball aficionados from all over the world were skeptical about his return to the game, he left everyone stunned after making a dominating comeback in the iconic LA Lakers vs LA Clippers match on 31 January 2019 and scored a total of 24 points, 14 rebounds and 9 assists.
Damian Lillard
At the third spot in our list of the top four NBA stars who fearlessly fought against all the odds and never allowed injuries to ruin their glorious careers, we have the iconic American professional basketball player, Damian Lillard, who plays for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Often popularly referred to as “Dame Time”, Damian Lillard has successfully made seven NBA All-Star selections, seven All-NBA Team selections, and is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer as of July 2025.
Well, a majority of Damian Lillard’s fans were not aware of the fact that the American basketball sensation had been playing with chronic abdominal pain for years till the 2021-22 season, when his condition worsened, and he had to step out of the season for immediate treatment. Lillard underwent major surgery to treat his core abdominal issues. Lillard made his post-surgery comeback in the iconic Portland Trail Blazers vs Sacramento Kings clash on 19 October 2022 and left his fans stunned after scoring 20 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists, leading the Blazers to a spine-chilling 115-108 victory.
Kevin Durant
Finally, at the fourth spot in our list of the top four NBA players who didn’t let injuries shorten their glorious careers, we have the legendary American professional basketball player, Kevin Wayne Durant, who plays for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Often hailed as one of the most dynamic power forwards in the history of the NBA, Kevin Durant has successfully clinched two NBA championships, four Olympic gold medals, an NBA Most Valuable Player Award, two NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Awards, two NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Awards, four NBA scoring titles, and the NBA Rookie of the Year Award.
Kevin Durant sustained a major injury during game 5 of the NBA Finals 2019 where he scored 11 points in 12 minutes. Durant brutally collapsed during a crossover move and shockingly ruptured his Achilles tendon, which later forced him to miss out on the entire 2019-20 season while recovering after the surgery that followed. Kevin Durant fought the odds and left no stone unturned in unleashing his finest potential while recovering and made a roaring comeback against the Golden State Warriors on 22 December 2020 and scored 22 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists, leading the Brooklyn Nets to a sensational 125-99 triumph.
