On America’s 250th anniversary, we honor its 50th state, Hawaii, and the 11 greatest NBA players to emerge from the islands

Since its 1947 inception, thousands of players have been selected in the NBA Draft and smaller percentage than you think actually play in the league. Here are 26 notable examples of draftees who never took the floor in an NBA game.

Injuries, suspensions, late career starts, and sadly tragic deaths played a factor in the shortened careers of these 16 NBA stars

A Bosnian legend, a clown prince of the NBA, a Knicks champion, a former Jazz owner, a basketball “Wizard” and an all-time winningest NBA coach are amongst those we lost in 2025

These players had varying degrees of skill, success and experience in the NBA or ABA, but all had one thing in common: they were taken from us too soon.

A singular defensive powerhouse, a legendary jovial big man, multiple college coach Hall of Famers, and “The Logo” are amongst those we lost in 2024.

An ABA superstar, a controversial NCAA coaching titan, a Knicks folk hero, a Suns franchise legend, and the oldest living NBA player are amongst those we lost in 2023

Like JFK or the Beatles, Michael Jordan is so ingrained in the consciousness of American culture that he was bound to be initiated with at least one conspiracy. But he’s not the only NBA figure or team that’s inspired (relatively) crackpot theories.

A flood of second generation NBA players are on the way, as Bronny James (son of LeBron), Ashton Hardaway (Penny), Andrej Stojakovic (Peja) and more seemingly destined for stardom. So as we celebrate Father’s Day in the U.S., let’s take stock of the pinnacles of father-son NBA careers, by counting down the 26 greatest examples thus far.

In 2022, we lost a women’s basketball pioneer, Larry Bird’s and LeBron James’ first NBA coaches, a Pistons franchise legend, multiple NCAA championship winning coaches, a member of the first Lakers title team, the inventor of the spin move, a defensive stalwart of the ’70s Celtics title teams, the “Princeton offense” guru, and the 11-time NBA champ who changed the game forever.

In 2021, we lost a Lakers legend and a Celtics legend who squared off multiple times in unforgettable NBA Finals, as well as the captain of the groundbreaking 1963 Loyola championship team, a shot blocking great, the first Rockets All-Star, a founder of the ABA, a Suns Hall of Famer, and multiple titans of coaching in the college ranks, amongst many others in the basketball community.

It was an unfortunately robust year for deaths in the basketball community, as we lost the most impactful commissioner in NBA history, a Jazz coaching legend, a Bullets MVP and Finals MVP, a Harlem Globetrotters icon, two NCAA championship coaches (and two others that reached the Final Four), two playing/coaching luminaries in the Celtics organization, and, of course, Kobe and Gianna.

It’s supposedly the worst birthday a kid could have (combined presents!), but these guys focused that childhood disappointment into a pro basketball future.

Though some were pretty great players in their own right, these siblings got lost in the shuffle of their more famous brothers’ NBA success.

An NCAA scoring champion, a coach in the “Greatest Game Ever Played,” the original Sonics center, the inventor of the Dunk Contest, the Hall of Famer affectionately known as “Hondo,” and the first player of color in NBA history are amongst the basketball people we lost in 2019.

An ABA co-founder, a 76ers Hall of Famer, the architect of “Showtime,” a Celtics Finals MVP, and the first black NBA team captain were amongst those we lost in 2018.