Mind vs. Body: Five NBA players who didn't let injuries limit them

Basketball, like every other high octane contact sport has instances where a player faces an injury that vows to change his career graph. Few, however, have an iron will sided by heaps of determination and most importantly unconditional love for the game which enables them to overcome the limitations put on their body and achieve greatness.It is always difficult to get back from an injury, but having the courage to spend months and years of your prime on the bed only to later come back, improvise and play the same sport even better that got you injured in the first place, That takes some serious basketballs. Here’s a countdown of the top five NBA stars who didn’t let the injuries get to them and did what they do best anyway.

#5 Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant (holding his achilles) in the playoff qualifying game against the Golden State Warriors in 2013.

As one of the greatest players ever, Kobe Bryant has been plagued with injuries especially in this later stage of his career. Sprains, swellings, strains and bruises aside, Kobe has faced a factured finger, a right knee surgery, a torn achilles tendon, a fracured left knee and a torn rotator cuff (in chronological order). It’s simply commendable that Kobe plays the way he plays with a body that has gone through so much.

The Mamba showed his sheer resilience by bouncing back and going back to being unguardable after every injury. In a fight of mind vs. body, you have to admire Kobe’s mind. His 2013 game against Golden State showed how he can fight the pain and the body to get his team an inch closer to it’s goal. On his way to his possibly last season, we can surely expect Kobe to do what he’s been doing. Bounce back.

#4 Russell Westbrook

Oklahoma City Thunder Guard Russell Westbrook in the 2013 game against the Houston Rockets

Russell Westbrook has been one of the most swift, energetic and explosive guards the NBA has ever seen. In 2013 against a game against the Rockets, Westbrook suffered a slight tear in his right meniscus (knee cartilage). In spite of being bothered by the injury, he finished the game with respectable numbers. However in a span of less than nine months, Westbrook had to undergo three surgeries on his right knee.

After getting back into the game with the help of his determination and work ethic, he suffered an accidental knee to the face during a February 2015 game against Portland by teammate Andre Roberson. Evaluation showed that he faced a fracture in the zygomatic arch bone (separates eye socket from the sinuses) of his right cheek. He wore a mask after the surgery and showed how unstoppable an injured player is capable of being. He became a superhero with the mask on and didn’t allow his team to miss fellow superstar Kevin Durant.

#3 Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan on his way to his 63-point playoff game against the Celtics in 1985

The greatest player to ever play the game didn’t have the healthiest start to his career. In his second year in the NBA, Michael Jordan suffered a broken bone in his left foot due to an awkward landing that made him miss 64 games.

After winning rookie of the year, the future Greatest Of All Time(GOAT) wasn’t able to use his raw talents for the majority of his second season. He, however, returned just in time for the playoffs and performed exceptionally well. In spite of losing their championship aspirations the 85-86 Celtics, Jordan scored 63 points in Game 2 against them. When I checked last, that was still an unbroken record for most point scored in a playoff game. All hail his Airness.

#2 Shaun Livingston

Shaun Livingston has suffered one of the most gruesome injuries in NBA history; so much so that ESPNEWS warned the viewers of the graphic nature of the video clip before airing it. In a game against Charlotte in February 2007, Livingston landed awkwardly after a layup causing his left leg to literally snap. The injuries caused due to this fall were tearing off the Anterior Cruciate Ligament(ACL), the PCL Posterior Cruciate Ligament(PCL) and the lateral meniscus. To add to it, he also dislocated his patella and tibiofibular joint. To recover, he spent months just to be able to walk again.

After more than 15 months of rehabilitation, Livingston was able to rebuild his way to becoming an exceptional player. He served as a key player in assisting Golden State’s 2015 championship ambitions averaging 6 points and 3.3 assists for the season. To recover from a potentially life changing injury, rebuild the body with the game and going on to win a championship ring is nothing short of a miracle.

#1 Derrick Rose

As far as injuries go, Derrick Rose has been one of the most unfortunate players in the NBA. In spite of winning the Rookie of the Year award in his debut season, Rose has always been prone to injuries; be it minor or major.

His first major setback came in May 2012 when he tore his right ACL in a game against the 76ers. After taking more than 18 months to recover, Rose featured in only ten games before tearing the medial meniscus in his right knee (ending that season for him). He returned in time for the first game of the 2014-15 season and played well for the majority of the season averaging roughly 17 points and 5 assists.

In February, he tore his right meniscus again putting the Bulls championship hopes in jeopardy. However, he returned in time for the playoffs and gave an MVP performance trying to overcome LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers. To top off his dominance, he also hit the game-winning buzzer beater in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals. For a player who has had unfortunate injuries all his career, it’s a delight to see Rose still playing at an All-Star level; pulling off ankle breaking crossovers and unguardable eurostep jumpers.

A healthy Derrick Rose is still one of the best players out there.