There’s always debate from nba fasn about “injury prone” vs. “load management” vs. “unlucky.” I only looked at regular season games (no playoffs), and counted total possible games since entering the league.
TLDR
• Kyrie and Kawhi have missed about the same share of their careers (~1⁄3).
• AD has missed a lot but way less than Kyrie/Kawhi in percentage terms (you don’t hear plainclothes kyrie)
• Simmons and Zion are in a different tier of no-show entirely.
• Zion’s number is honestly kind of wild
EDIT (with the older / retired players added):
- Rose has played 700+ games and it still feels like we lost half his career.
- Oden’s number is honestly almost unfathomable.
Kyrie Irving
- Games played: ~779
- Possible games: ~1,148
- Missed: ~369
- Unavailable: ~32% of career
Kawhi Leonard
- Games played: ~774
- Possible games: ~1,148
- Missed: ~374
- Unavailable: ~33% of career (And that includes a full missed season.)
Ben Simmons
- Games played: ~332
- Possible games: ~656
- Missed: ~324
- Unavailable: ~49% of career
nearly HALF of his career regular-season games!!
Anthony Davis
- Games played: ~777
- Possible games: ~1,000+ (approx depending on season counting)
- Missed: ~176
- Unavailable: ~23% of career
About 1 in 4 games ngl interestingly lower than the public perception.
Zion Williamson
- Games played: ~214
- Possible games: ~492
- Missed: ~278
- Unavailable: ~56% of career
Has played in less than half of his potential regular season games. For how young he is this is honestly insane.
Joel Embiid
- Career games played: ~433
- Seasons active: 2014–15 through 2024–25 (11 seasons)
- Possible games: 902
- Missed: ~469
- Unavailable: ~52%
Has missed over half of his possible career games. Still has an MVP. Pretty wild contrast.
Kristaps Porzingis
- Career games played: ~450
- Seasons active: 2015–16 through 2024–25 (10 seasons)
- Possible games: 820
- Missed: ~370
- Unavailable: ~45%
Has missed almost half his career. Feel like not really talked about.
And for good measure some historic injured players who famously remember for their injuries to compare to:
Greg Oden
- Career games played: 105
- Seasons active: 2007–08 through 2013–14 (7 seasons)
- Possible games: 7 × 82 = 574
- Missed: 469
- Unavailable: ~82% of career
One of the most extreme injury cases ever for a #1 pick.
Derrick Rose
- Career games played: ~723
- Seasons active: 2008–09 through 2024–25 (17 seasons)
- Possible games: 17 × 82 = 1,394
- Missed: ~671
- Unavailable: ~48% of career
Missed nearly half his career (2012 ACL tear completely changed everything)
Brandon Roy
- Career games played: 326
- Seasons active: 2006–07 through 2012–13 (7 seasons)
- Possible games: 574
- Missed: 248
- Unavailable: ~43%
Smh what could have been