10 NBA Players Diagnosed with Life-Threatening Diseases

There are several sports in the world. Every country’s athletes are perfect in their own game. Every game’s strategies are different, depending on the athlete and how passionate he is about the game. Any athlete’s passion for the game decides how well he will play the sport. 

But there are some athletes whose passion vanishes, and they get a link with life-threatening diseases. Such diseases ruined their careers. The only solution for such a mess is to train the players and protect them against all natural diseases. Such protection will keep the athletes healthy and fit and make a good historical remark.

The article shows the top 10 NBA athletes with Life-Threatening diseases that list those athletes who have faced different diseases during their careers. Let’s have a look.

Famous Athletes who Battled Diseases – NBA Players

Sports stars are noticed for their fitness. They must be concerned about their health through regular exercise, fitness clubs, and a proper diet. Some athletes are affected by life-threatening diseases, and it’s not in their hands; it’s the natural things that can occur as bad luck with some athletes. 

10. Eddy Curry

The American basketball player Eddy Curry was the height of 7 feet and 295 lb. He was part of the Miami Heat 2012 championship team. He is associated with the Chinese Basketball Association. He was selected fourth overall in the 2001 NBA draft. He played for the New York Knicks from 2005 to 2010.

During his career, he was diagnosed with hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. He got linked with these diseases and suffered during his career. This disease stopped his career and made him retire from sports.

9. Hank Gathers

The other NBA athlete is Hank Gathers. His name is on the list of great athletes of basketball. He is the second player in NCAA Division, leading the history of scoring higher than his competitor. He was a college basketball star in his career.

During his play against Santa Barbara, the athlete collapsed on the ground. He stopped after the first disorder for a few days. He Was treated and again faced the problem of heart muscle disorder due to hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. He is still remembered as the athlete who battled against the disease.

8. Steve Nash

 

Steve Nash is the name on the list of NBA players diagnosed with a life-threatening Disease. He is a Canadian player who currently plays basketball. Steve played 18 seasons in the NBA and was an eight-time All-stars. He currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. He was honored with a doctorate in Law.

He is suffering from a medical disorder called spondylolisthesis which normally causes tightness and back pain. He normally lies on his back rather than sitting during rest time. These diseases may normally affect the game.

7. Chris Wilcox

American professional basketball player Chris played as a power forward and spent his career for different regions like Oklahoma City New York Knicks. He played as a power forward and centered in the National Basketball Association. Los Angeles first drafted him. 

He was not permitted to play as he was diagnosed with heart irregularity. He took a break for a while. After the detailed treatment, he was cleared to play the game. After the treatment, he rejoined the Celtics and marked history with his excellent performance.

6. Sean Elliott

The prominent name in history is Sean Micheal. The retired American basketball player achieved All American. His achievements include the Wooden Award, The Adolph Rupp Trophy, and the NABC player of the year. He had a  standout career as a two-time All-American winner in 1989. 

He was treated with a kidney transplant after diagnosing the segmental focal issue. He was treated with his brother’s kidney. His return made him the first professional player after the kidney transplant. He marked his name on the list due to his passionate output in the game.

5. Nene

The other player’s name in the list of NBA players diagnosed with a life-threatening Disease. The player was born Maybyner and officially changed his name to Nene. He played for the Brazilian National team during his career. He is best known for his crossing and dribbling ability. He is a specialist in free kick features

The passionate person took leave for some time due to the treatment of a testicular tumor. After the treatment, the athlete joined the team and returned to his form. He entered the game again with 1:17 left in the quarter in 2008.

4. Alonzo Mourning

The other athlete in the history of disease battle fighters is Alonzo Mourning. He spent 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association, playing for the Miami Heat. He also played for Georgetown University. He earned the NBA defensive player Award and was nominated for the All-Defensive Team during his professional basketball career. 

He suffered from life-threatening kidney diseases that stopped his career for a while. He retired from his career and had a kidney transplant later. He deserves his name on the 10 NBA players diagnosed with life-threatening Diseases.

3. Wayman Lawrence

The American professional basketballer had an active career in the National Basketball League. HE achieved the Big Eight Conference Player of the year award. He earned the title of All-American at the University of Oklahoma. He was selected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.

The athlete was diagnosed with cancer that stopped his career. He fell from the stairs and broke his leg in 2007. He had his leg amputation due to bone cancer. He died in 2009 due to breathing issues, marking his name in history.

2. Magic Johnson

A retired American Athlete who was a professional basketball player is Magic Johnson. The athlete had his association in the National Basketball Association. He was awarded nine NBA finals and Won three NBA MVP awards. HE received the ALL-NBA first and Second Team Nominations during his active career.

During his career, he learned about the HIV physical condition that made him announce his retirement from the basketball team. His retirement was sad news for his fans, but this declaration was the biggest moment of the past 25 years. He marked his name due to his passion and excellence.

1. Kareem Abdul Jabbar

The main athlete on the list is Kareem Abdul Jabbar, who spent 20 seasons in the National Basketball Association. He was the key player for the Los Angeles Lakers. He played a center position and won the NBA’s most valuable player award. He earned his position in the NBA All-Star 19 times during his career.

He had the all-time leader position during his career and made field goals at retirement. He announced his declaration due to blood and bone cancer. He suffered and took oral medication for the treatment. He made remarkable progress in the field and marked his name.

Kareem had been the highest scorer in NBA history. Here is the list of basketball players who scored highest points in NBA history.

Conclusion

The article shows the NBA players Diagnosed with Life-Threatening Diseases. Different athletes worked hard, were passionate about the game, and made their careers. The career offered different phases, including the battle against diseases. Many players faced this phase. Many survived, and some lost their lives. It all depends on the luck of the athlete during their career.

You might have taken enough information regarding the athlete’s history. The athletes have some dreams; when they fight against diseases for their dreams, then the time is to celebrate. Their names are included in history.

FAQs

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy is a common disease that occurs in 1 out of 200 people and 1 out of 500 people. Many players in history suffered from this disease.

Many people have a name on the list of diseases suffered by athletes. The disease Marfan Syndrome does not allow active sports persons not to live with heavyweights as they cause additional heart strain.

Marfan Syndrome stopped many players from playing the game, but still, many players suffered from this disease, like Isaiah Austin, who is still living out his dream.

Read more about
Oldest NBA Teams of Basketball World