As in every form of competition, success in the NBA requires a certain amount of luck. Sure, there are so many factors that come into play in determining a team's success for years to come, but at the end of the day, you also need to have Lady Luck on your side.
This was not the case, however, for the five teams that we have listed below. It was actually the exact opposite for them, and their unfortunate narratives were enough to land them a spot in the Top 5 unluckiest teams in the history of the NBA.
Charlotte Bobcats: 2012 NBA Draft
Ever wonder who holds the record for the worst record in a single season in the history of the NBA? Well, wonder no more because we have the answer right here. It's the Charlotte Hornets during the 2010-11 season with just seven wins against 59 losses. Nope, no typo there.
After a truly embarrassing season, the Bobcats had a real opportunity to turn their franchise around with the upcoming draft. They were the worst team by a mile, and had a 25.0% chance of landing the first overall pick. The prize that was at stake was Anthony Davis, who was undeniably a franchise-altering prospect.
As luck would have it, the Bobcats lost out the first overall pick during the lottery to the New Orleans Hornets, who only had a 13.7% chance of landing the first pick, and in effect, Anthony Davis. To make matters worse, come the draft, Charlotte opted to take Michael Kidd-Gilchrist with the second pick, passing on the likes of Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal, and Andre Drummond.
Portland Trail Blazers: Brandon Roy, Greg Oden Injuries
At one point in time, the Portland Trail Blazers were well on their way to a dynasty. That was until a slew of unforeseen major injuries got in the way.
It all started with LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy, who Portland selected second and sixth overall in 2006, respectively. The following season, the Blazers had another high lottery pick — the highest, actually — and they used it on 7-foot big man Greg Oden.
By his fourth season, Roy had already made three All-Star appearances and well on his way to being one of the best players in the league. On the other hand, Aldridge established himself as one of the most promising young big men in the NBA. As for Oden, however, he never really got it going. The former Ohio State standout was never really able to live up to the high expectations many had on him, primarily because of knee problems.
Roy himself suffered a career-altering knee injury in 2010 that eventually required arthroscopic surgery on both knees. That was the beginning of the end for Roy, who was forced to retire a couple of years later at just 27. Oden had it worse, as he ended up playing in just 82 games for Portland in three years.
For a bit of perspective, this trio played in just 62 games together. Their record during this brief span? 52-10.
Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose Injuries
As far as nasty injuries go, few would be more unfortunate than that of Derrick Rose.
Rose was the youngest ever MVP when he won the coveted award in 2011 at just 22 years of age. Needless to say, the sky was the limit for Rose and the Bulls, who had already advanced all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals in Rose's third season in the league. Unfortunately, the explosive point guard's limits turned out to be his knees.
The following season, months after the Bulls signed Rose to a massive $94.8 million extension, he tore his ACL in the first game of the playoffs. He underwent surgery to repair the damage, which ended up costing him the entirety of the following season.
That was not the end of that, however. The former first overall pick made his much-awaited return in the 2013-14 campaign, but sadly, it would only last for 10 games. Rose ended up tearing the meniscus on his right knee, which again, required season-ending surgery.
Rose returned the following season, but he was never the same again. He eventually parted ways with Chicago in 2016, with the Bulls trading him to the New York Knicks.
Boston Celtics: Deaths of Len Bias and Reggie Lewis
This is more of a tragedy than it is a case of bad luck. It cannot be denied, however, that the deaths of Len Bias and Reggie Lewis, which happened seven years apart, set back the Celtics franchise pretty badly.
In 1986, the Celtics used their second overall pick on Len Bias, a tremendous prospect coming out of Maryland, who was expected to be the team's next cornerstone superstar in the post-Larry Bird era. Just a couple of days later, without even playing a single minute for Boston, Bias died due to a drug overdose as he was celebrating his arrival in the big league.
Seven years later, lightning would strike again for the hapless Celtics. Reggie Lewis, a 6-foot-7 All-Star swingman, collapsed on the court during a playoff game. He was later diagnosed with a serious heart condition but was told by doctors that he could still play basketball. On July 7, 1993, a few months after his collapse, Lewis suffered a fatal heart attack during an off-season practice. He was 27.
One death is tragic enough, but for this to happen to the same team twice is simply unimaginable.
Portland Trail Blazers: The 1984 NBA Draft
The 1984 NBA Draft is considered by many as one of the most stacked draft classes of all time. Unfortunately for the Blazers, they had absolutely no luck during that historic evening.
Actually, Portland's misery started even before the actual night of the draft. At that time, there was still no lottery, and the first overall pick was decided by a coin toss between the two worst teams of each conference. That year, it happened to be the Houston Rockets in the West and the Indiana Pacers in the East, whose draft rights were already owned by the Blazers via an earlier trade.
The Rockets lucked out and they won the coin flip, which allowed them to select Hakeem Olajuwon first overall. The Rockets had to settle for the second-best big man in the draft for the second overall pick in Sam Bowie. We all know who the Chicago Bulls picked third overall, right? A little known player named Micheal Jordan.
So in that fateful draft, the Blazers did not only miss out on their first choice in Olajuwon, but they also ended up passing on the GOAT. Talk about tough luck.
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