There are few things more nightmarish to an athlete than a serious injury. Not only will they be hurt, but they may not be able to participate in their sport afterwards. This is why most athletes go to great lengths to avoid being hurt in any way while performing.
However, accidents do happen, and no one is invincible. Even the trained professionals have to be careful in life. Below are six recent sports injuries that have happened in the past few years:
1. Isaiah Canaan (2018 Basketball Injury)
The guard for the Phoenix Suns was having a pretty good game against the Dallas Mavericks on February 1st, 2018. Of course, even the best of games can go awry, and this one did when Canaan charged towards the hoop, getting caught in a tough spot that caused him to land on his left ankle in an awkward way.
It was immediately apparent that something was very wrong as players on both teams flinched upon seeing Isaiah’s ankle twisted in such a bizarre manner. It was a simple mistake and really could have happened to anybody, but the recent sports injury still ended Canaan’s 17-18 season.
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2. Dalvin Cook (2018 Football Injury)
This recent sports injury happened in 2018. The rookie for the Minnesota Vikings was acting as a running back while collecting a nice 354 rushing yards in less than four weeks. Simply put, Cook was having a fantastic first season so far.
Unfortunately, an ACL tear ended that season on a truly disappointing note, costing him plenty of credit for contributions to his team. Luckily, the Vikings went on to have a great season despite the loss of Cook.
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3. Gordon Hayward (2017 Football Injury)
During his first regular-season game in 2017, the Boston Celtics player took a hard fall. This fall resulted in a dislocated ankle and also fractured his tibia. Naturally, this gruesome injury was a season-ending incident for him. However, he did return to play eventually after taking time and dedication to heal through physiotherapy sessions.
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4. Kris Dunn (2018 Basketball Injury)
In basketball, the act of dunking is largely seen as pretty much the coolest thing you can do. It looks awesome, it shows that you have some decent skill, and it accomplishes both of those things while being super fun. However, that wasn’t the case at all when Kris Dunn went for his dunk in an early 2018 game.
The Chicago Bulls guard ran for the net with a total time of 2 minutes and 52 seconds on the clock. In a true power move, he dunked the ball with style, but the momentum behind his movements weren’t feeling too cooperative. Dunn slammed into the hard floor, dislocating two teeth and suffering a concussion that caused him to miss some time on the court.
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5. Ryan Tannehill (2016 Football Injury)
When it comes to football, the quarterback is typically one of the most vital positions on the team. This became painfully apparent in 2016 when the Miami Dolphins found themselves without their main quarterback.
Ryan Tannehill’s optimistic season ended when he tore his ACL, putting him out of commission. Following the incident, the team seemed to suffer without his guidance on the field.
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6. Akil Mitchell (2017 Basketball Injury)
Sports injuries are never pretty and can be pretty uncomfortable to look at. Akil Mitchell’s injury, however, took things to an entirely new level of disturbing. While playing for the New Zealand Breakers in 2017, Mitchell was fighting for a rebound when he appeared to have been poked in the eye. Eye pokes are bad enough, but this one proved to be far worse, as poor Akil Mitchell’s eye was liberated from its own socket.
Fortunately, the injury was not permanent, as Mitchell’s vision was restored just a month later. He rejoined his team soon after, albeit with a new story that would be hard to ever forget.
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