Gilbert Arenas was on top of the world in 2007. The Washington Wizards star had established himself as one of the best players and deadliest scoring machines in the NBA at that time.

But on April 4, 2007, one play changed it all. In a game against the Charlotte Bobcats, forward Gerald Wallace made a crazy drive to the basket and fell into Arenas' leg. The three-time All-Star tore his meniscus, and that particular play, in hindsight, helped derail his career.

According to Leo Sepkowitz of Bleacher Report, Arenas has not watched the play to this day:

Arenas still hasn't watched the fateful play, but he's able to reflect on its impact with clarity and poise. He is not somebody who thinks too hard about the past, nor is he afraid to discuss it. “I just didn't have a full career,” he says. “Some people can't move on because they can't let go.” He's laughing a little bit, as he often does when addressing heavy matters. “You gotta let it go and keep moving. It wasn't meant. Keep going, keep fighting for something else.”

Players often return to their old form after suffering a torn meniscus. Russell Westbrook tore his back in 2013 and came back with arguably the same athleticism he had prior to his injury.

However, one problem with Arenas was that he rushed his rehab and was never able to stay on the court consistently:

“I didn't respect the injury,” he says. “I'm sitting there just trying to go—let's go, there's no time, Kobe's out there working.”

Following his career-altering injury, Arenas played just 121 games through the final three years of his career in the NBA. Nevertheless, there's no question how much of an assassin Arenas was in his prime years. Unfortunately, we never got to see his prime unfold as it should have.

The three-time All-NBA member is just among the biggest “what-ifs” in NBA history.