Bill Walton, DaJuan Wagner: Success stories cut short - NBA Special Report (Part-3)
Bill Walton
Bill Walton made his debut in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1974 when the Portland Trail Blazers selected him as the first overall pick. However, soon he caught up with injury issues that took a toll on his professional
career and he had to eventually retire in 1987.
Walton played for three NBA franchises in his career and won two NBA championships. His first major achievement came in 1977, when he was declared the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the regular season and in the finals. He led the
Portland Trail Blazers to a NBA championship that year, his first.
After his stint with the Trail Blazers, Walton moved on to the mighty Boston Celtics in 1985. The effects were immediate. He crafted the entire 1985-1986 season and helped the C’s to win the NBA title in 1986.
Walton not only brought the Celtics a championship that year, but also achieved a rather unique individual stat. The injury prone player featured in a career high 80 games that season. Although Walton’s career average of 13.3 points
per game is good average for an injury riddled career, but one just cannot help thinking of what could have been, if injuries had not stopped him.
DaJuan Wagner
One of the most promising young talents in NBA during the last decade, DaJuan Wagner was forced to quit his NBA career due to ulcerative colitis.
Wagner was all set to rule the NBA when he entered the league in2002 draft. The point guard had a tremendous school and collegiate performances behind his back. He played wonderfully in Camden High school and averaged 42.5 points
as a senior. His best performance was in the form of a 100 point blitz. He then played college basketball with the University of Memphis and decided to join the NBA after his freshmen year.
The Cleveland Cavaliers selected him with overall 6th pick in the first round. Often compared to Allen Iversion, he quickly adapted himself in the new environment of the league. His rookie season performances were intermittent
though and he finished with only 13.4 points per game on a 36.9 percent shooting.
The real debacle of his career started in his second season when he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. That painful colon proved to be a bitter reality for him. He had a successful surgery when his colon was removed, but his
surgery could not save his career. He never felt good on court and was forced to quit from the NBA in 2008.
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