The 2024–2025 NBA season is in the books, and boy, was it a busy one. Aside from one of the wildest postseasons in league history, basketball fans, unfortunately, also had to witness several of the game’s top superstars go down with severe injuries—some that may keep them out for the entirety of next season.
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The list grew in Game 7 of the NBA Finals when Tyrese Haliburton suffered an Achilles injury and was unable to return. This left the Pacers in a tough spot, and the OKC Thunder took advantage, winning the franchise’s first title and ending Indy’s magical postseason run.
Stephen A. Smith took to his YouTube show earlier today to reflect on the campaign, particularly the massive superstars who will now be on the bench for an extended period next season. SAS brought Haliburton, Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard, and Kyrie Irving under the spotlight.
“Look at this right here, y’all. Tyrese Haliburton, Achilles. Jayson Tatum, Achilles. Damian Lillard, Achilles,” Smith began. “Kyrie Irving, ACL. Those first three are probably going to be out for the whole season. Kyrie gonna be out for most of the season.”
Smith further pointed out that these injuries will be a hit to the entire league. “We’re starting next NBA season, the 25-26 season, without those four guys. That is not good, and the NBA, a global iconic brand, the NBA needs them players. People love the NBA in the world over, but we need those players. It’s a damn shame,” he stated.
It’s true. Tatum is considered one of the faces of the league and was the latest 2K cover athlete. Haliburton was the player to watch during these playoffs. Dame and Kyrie may be veterans now, but they’re still one of the best at their craft. SAS knows this and admitted feeling somber about the fact that all of them will be sidelined, perhaps for the entirety of 25-26.
“It’s painful to watch those injuries,” he admitted. “I mean, Kyrie is a spectacular talent. This is a superstar player and a champion. We want to see him. Damian Lillard. We know what a closer he is; we want to see him. Jayson Tatum is a champion and a 27 PPG scorer…we want to see him. And all three of them are out. For most, if not all, of next season.”
Lakers coach J.J. Redick recently said that the reason we’re seeing so many injuries is because the pace of play is so fast, unlike in the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s, when players didn’t get hurt as often. “Right now, it’s looking like he has a point. Look at the injuries we’re witnessing,” the famed analyst added. That’s not to say there were no major injuries back then, obviously. But the NBA now moves at such a lightning-fast pace that it’s nearly impossible for players’ bodies to avoid breaking down over a grueling 82-game schedule.
“Damn it was sad when I saw Haliburton go down. Broke my heart, cause I wanted to see a healthy Haliburton on the court making noise,” stated Smith. This was after Hali dropped 9 points on 3-4 from 3-point range. If he were still in the game, we may have been talking about the Pacers as the 2025 NBA Champs.
The injury also reminded Smith of what happened to Kevin Durant in 2019. “Sure enough, he goes down in Game 7, and the injury was very eerily reminiscent of how Kevin Durant went down against Toronto in that Game 5. The cav just rolled up the way it did, and the Achilles tore.”
The good news for fans of Tatum, Haliburton, and Lillard is that Durant came back from a similar injury and returned to the elite level that made him one of the GOATs. While not everyone is as physically gifted as Durant, it’s a promising sign that their careers aren’t over. Unfortunately, there’s still going to be a long stretch without those stars. Hopefully, someone else steps up in the meantime.
