Every time an athlete laces their shoes, they know that the risk of injury is always right around the corner. There have been many young talents that were never the same after just one ill-timed twist of the knee or pop in their shoulder.

Jay Williams – Williams was a standout point guard at Duke and was the second player taken in the 2002 NBA Draft. He was all set to be the centerpiece in what many assumed could be the start of a new dynasty for the Chicago Bulls. He had an average rookie season, but did show promising signs that he could turn into a star. After his rookie season, Williams wrecked his Yamaha R6 motorcycle into a streetlight. He suffered major injuries including never damage in his leg, fractured pelvis and a completely dislocated knee. It was a single vehicle crash and didn’t need to consult a personal injury lawyer, but the Bulls were able to collect on an insurance policy to cover Williams’ contract. Williams did attempt a basketball comeback in 2006, but he was just a shell of himself. He has stayed in the limelight as a college basketball analyst for ESPN.

Tony Conigliaro – There many not have been such a long championship drought for the Red Sox if Conigliaro was able to dodge an errant pitch. He was a 20-year-old rookie for Boston in 1964 and made the All-Star team in his second year. He already amassed 104 homers by the time he was 22 years old. In 1967, he was hit in his eye socket with a pitch and did not play again for two seasons. His vision was never the same and he retired after the 1971 season. He tried to make a comeback a few seasons later, but it was short-lived. The bad luck followed Conigliaro in his post-career life as he suffered a major heart attack just days after his 37th birthday. He was in a coma for eight years and passed away at the age of 45.

Brandon Roy – Roy was selected sixth overall in the 2006 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. He won the Rookie of the Year award and made the All-Star team in his second, third and fourth seasons. He was leading his team to postseason berths and earned a max contract extension when his rookie contract ended. He had minor knee issues in college, but it didn’t bother him until the 2010-11 season. He continued to attempt to play on his knees, but they were degenerating at a rapid rate. He had to retire after the season. Roy did make a comeback in 2012 and was able to play in just five games before he knew he wasn’t the same player as before. He retired in 2013 and the people of the Pacific Northwest will always wonder what if Roy stayed healthy.

Bo Jackson – Bo Jackson was a multi-sport star and became a household name with his ‘BO KNOWS’ Nike campaign. Jackson was an All-Star for the Kansas City Royals in baseball, but decided he wanted to give football a try as well. The Los Angeles Raiders drafted him late in the 1987 draft just in case he ever decided to try football again. He signed with the Raiders soon after that and suited up in 1988 after the Royals season ended. He played for the Raiders for four seasons and averaged 5.4 yards per carry for his career. In a 1991 playoff game against the Bengals, he was tackled from behind on a long run and suffered a career-ending hip injury. His hip was dislocated and he himself popped it back into its socket…but by doing so, he blocked blood vessels and flow to his leg. He never played football again and was cut from the Royals soon after. He did go on to play for the White Sox and Angels for a few seasons, but he was a shell of his former self.

Sandy Koufax – Koufax made his debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955 when he was just 19 years old. He was an average pitcher in his early 20’s and had control issues early in his career. It wasn’t until the 1961 season when things started to click for him. He then had the best four-year stretch of any pitcher in the history of the game. From 1963 thru 1966, he won 97 games and pitched 89 complete games in those four years. He eclipsed 300 innings pitched in three of those seasons. After the 1966 season, a year in which he was 27-9 with a 1.73 ERA over 323 innings, he had to retire due to an arthritic elbow. He was advised by a doctor that if he continued to pitched, there was a chance that he could be unable to use his left arm later in life. He retired when he was just 31 years old and became the youngest member of the Baseball Hall of Fame when he was inducted in 1972. He had an amazing career, but since he retired at his peak and at such a young age, he could have challenged for some all-time records if he pitched into his late-30’s.

Mark Prior – Just like Conigliaro, Prior could have been a savior for another team with an even longer championship drought. He was selected second overall in the 2001 MLB Draft by the Chicago Cubs. He was the best ‘sure thing’ pitcher many scouts have seen in decades. The Cubs didn’t waste any time in calling him up and made his debut in 2002. Prior earned his keep right away and earned an All-Star appearance in 2003. It was that season that he collided in the basepaths with Atlanta Braves second baseman Marcus Giles. That was the start of non-stop injury train for Prior. He racked up an Achilles injury, Tommy John surgery, fracture on a comebacker line-drive and then various shoulder ailments through the 2006 season. He was shelled in various rehab appearances in multiple comeback attempts, but finally sought out shoulder reconstruction surgery from the famed Dr. James Andrews. He never pitched in the Majors again and signed various minor league teams with different teams through the 2013 season. He is now the bullpen coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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About the Author…

Bobby Roberts (otherwise known as Sweetbob) is the creator of ‘America’s White Boy’ and contributor at Project Shanks. His writing has been featured on ESPN’s ‘SportsNation’, Sports Illustrated’s Hot Clicks, Guyspeed, and various other sites. You can follow him on Twitter at @Sweetbob