The Biggest "What If's" In NBA History

Taking a look at some of the biggest "what if's" that would have changed the NBA.
Follow us on Instagram: / nonstop
Follow us on Twitter: / nonstop
One of the best things about sports is the amount of endless possibilities. A different trade here or an alternative draft selection there can completely alter the history of the league. Let’s take a look at the greatest what if’s in NBA history.
The Biggest "What If's" In NBA History

[@champion2698]

*Meanwhile in another universe* Flight: Damn, look at the Wolves man so inspirational

[@Jokeryz]

Da

[@jonavena1689]

Nah flight was a fan of Derrick rose before he was a curry fan so if rose never got injured he would’ve still been with rose.

[@HDjak]

Oh that’s too funny

[@reformed827]

@@jonavena1689 Flight's just acting like a curry fanboy just to mock them

[@noved317]

Lmao

[@liamwilliams5367]

Think about this: we only saw young d rose. Not prime d rose

[@Dardarluv]

Facts

[@marloucabalquinto7514]

What if JR Smith remembered the score in that fateful evening of June 2018?

[@dustyri04]

Underrated comment right here. Lol

[@dukes1993724]

The Cavs would have lost that series 4-1

[@wtfgadget]

@@dukes1993724 better than 4-0

[@pauljohnpaul8828]

What if George Hill made the free throw🤔

[@vishalnadimpalli8480]

"The Lakers still trail the Celtics 17 to 16 in total championships" Not anymore

[@spiritwooo]

Also their 16th was in 84-86 something lol

[@dthehacker9513]

@@spiritwooo 86

[@youtuber3328]

elgin baylor and even more so jerry west were more elite than bob cousy

[@youtuber3328]

the warriors and 76ers had the prime version of wilt chamberlain

[@youtuber3328]

bob cousy wasn't as elite as bob pettit but the hawks traded bill russell

[@itachi-kun7736]

"What if Wilt Chamberlain comes out retirement and played at 50?

[@exwhyzgaming8996]

he is dead

[@jonathanhannah4]

@@iguessitsgrim2279 He is dead. Unless you're joking.

[@itachi-kun7736]

Wilt died at 63 in 1999, in the 80s when he was in his early 50s NBA teams still recruiting him

[@s197gmd2]

hes dead

[@zayncharania9182]

Guys I think he meant *came* out of retirement

[@sppsports2449]

7:08 look at how undersized Ben Wallace is, yet that man defensively destroyed some of the best centers in league history. That's incredible.

[@roygoodhand1301]

Yeah... I mean, Big Ben even blocked SHAQ! Now that we look back on it, it's laughable that Wallace went undrafted!

[@deanwadegotsnubbedfromthea1272]

The bulls are my favorite team and I was so excited for the team to maybe win a championship but since rose got injured I think i am gonna have to wait at least a few more years

[@tmac731]

I feel like the baseball gods won’t let the bulls win anymore rings. They gave us MJ and I guesss they said that’s enough. Our team will be talked about until the end of time lol

[@ballin1444]

More like for a few decades

[@peterjhamill]

try a couple decades hee hee hee

[@ebronjeremiah880]

Me too Big Bulls fan as a kid grew up watching Jordan-led Bulls winning their last championship.. I supported the team since then, even during mediocrity..

[@ebronjeremiah880]

Was really excited when Rose became the star, and I had belief that we were just few years before winning a ring. Sadly injuries ruined his promising career

[@kingm8481]

KOBE 💜💛

[@potato9487]

King M 8 likes

[@guy3reg]

Goat

[@rjmacready9828]

Forever in our hearts 💜💛

[@Spank1n]

i got another two: 1) what if Pippen went to Seattle as he was drafted? Would Sonics be significantly better (maybe win championship alongside with Kemp and Payton?), would Bulls win any trophy at all and how many? 2) what if Drazen Petrovis didnt die? Would he become a true legend and Jordan's greatest rival? Would Jordan quit in 94 if Petrovic was alive pushing on his legacy? Would Drazen win Championship? Probably not with Nets, but maybe he would go to a better team?

[@jp3813]

Did Drazen excel at anything else other than scoring?

[@CC-oi9mc]

1) who knows but bulls definitely would have made a move for some kind of second star soon 2)no but he would maybe have a career that rivaled say Dwayne wade

[@sheldonjumawan7321]

Yeah, what if D.Rose never got injured :'(

[@Schubertz08]

My dad is still sad to this day.

[@justdark5416]

He will always be my goat

[@itskalbtw]

defo biggest what if in NBA history

[@jacobnotaro6014]

@@Schubertz08 I'm still sad about his injury

[@jacobnotaro6014]

@@justdark5416 He will always be my goat too

[@_NPJ]

What if McGrady and Vince both stayed in Toronto?!

[@Stonecoldalston]

Still wouldn’t have won

[@danpatrickth2759]

They would've been the playoff sensation team

[@PedroPerez-pb6me]

What if Michael Jordan kept playing baseball 🤔

[@Beast-bv8sf]

He would have the same amount of rings as lebron

[@nathan_6917]

ツBeast that’s doesn’t make sense when he came back he played with the basically same team so he might’ve ended up have 7 or more instead of 6

[@mjthegoat5538]

Nathan_69 he said baseball not basketball

[@bmccalvin]

ツBeast no

[@chriswolf1089]

@@bmccalvin yeah he would win world series titles with the white socks

[@ciaranryan3652]

That Pistons pick in 03 reminds me of my Packers selecting Tony Mandarich instead of Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas and Deion Sanders in the 89 draft. Three HOF taken after a complete bust

[@HeavensRedemption]

What if Penny Hardaways knees held up an what if Shaq had that killer instinct qn took care of himself are my favorites.

[@present2060]

What if Bill Walton was never injured?

[@broadstreet21]

Here's something even better for Detroit, what if Milicic actually lived up to his potential? The Pistons would be like a 60's Celtics 2.0.

[@pizza4life625]

What if Ben Simmons had a jump shot?

[@StatiCRjm]

He would be an NBA champion right now instead of Giannis

[@mike.cdn7212]

Thats a very big what if

[@jvdnfthzd1335]

"What if Wilt Chamberlain played in this era?" is one of the biggest "what if" in history.

[@maxwellritchie2538]

At the same time that it is, it is really hard to even try to think where to start when comparing how player x would play in y era.

[@andrew7399]

He would still dominate but not as dominant as in the 60s like MJ he would dominate if he was playing todays ere but not as dominant st the 80s to 90s

[@youtuber3328]

in today's game wilt chamberlain and bill russell would put up even higher statistics in A the playoffs and/or B the season

[@19zachnuesca79]

*Number 1 What if: What if Kobe never died?*

[@kalakalboy5272]

Did the NBA Change the history after Kobe's death?

[@RandomYouTubeCommenter69420]

@@kalakalboy5272Yes, as everyone now has kobe in their top 3-5 and overrating him as far as number 1. Hes realistically anywhere from 6-8..

[@yoitsyaboy3324]

Len bias is the biggest what ifs in nba history would’ve been the goat hands down

[@armaankaler2100]

You posted this on my birthday, thank you 😊

[@swanandjoshi333]

What if Jerry Krause had kept Phil Jackson as the Coach of the Bulls with Jordan, Scottie, Rodman? They would have won again man!!!

[@rnac5438]

under the condition that the bulls salary for everyone especially pippen would be beyond its max limit, remember mj and pippen were underpaid during their tenure

[@edmondsantos8293]

That D-Rose injury as a fan always hurt to remember

[@that_cajun_boi4401]

wassup love the content keep it up boi

[@eztowin3226]

That_Cajun_Boi you haven’t even watched the video

[@Kingpercocet]

James Charles fan 123 🙎‍♂️

[@that_cajun_boi4401]

@@eztowin3226 just being positive either way.

[@cjayyagcaoili2036]

Len bias one was the biggest what if

[@dougbrown6534]

i have a feeling that if bias had not passed jordan would not have the first of his 3 rings as bias was a boss

[@jp3813]

@@dougbrown6534 College careers: Jordan [3 years] = 17.7 ppg (.540 fg%), 5.0 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.7 spg, 0.7 bpg, 30.8 mpg Bias [4 years] = 16.4 ppg (.536 fg%), 5.7 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.6 spg, 0.7 bpg, 32.8 mpg North Carolina Tar Heels vs Maryland Terrapins on January 12, 1984: Bias = 24 pts, 4 rebs Jordan = 21 pts, 12 rebs (7 off), 2 blks, at least 4 stls Highlights of the game was uploaded by starks23 (stats provided in the description), which ended with Jordan's iconic cradle dunk at the buzzer. Both men played each other four times overall. The first two in '83, Bias wasn't a starter yet. The last one was on February 19th the next year where Jordan scored 25 and Bias had 18.

[@dougbrown6534]

@@jp3813 If bias had not died before touching a nba basketball i feel he would have been 1 of if not the only player that could have truly givein jordan a run for his money and i would have loved to seen it sadly we will never know if he could have stopped the legend that jordan became as there numbers were very similar though jordan had the better vert with 48" - 40"bias was abit taller and weighted slightly more still would have been 1 hell of a show

[@jp3813]

@@dougbrown6534 Well, Bias would've had to catch up b/c by the time he got drafted, MJ just got done dropping 63 in the playoffs. Part of what makes a player great in the NBA is discipline, and since he couldn't stay away from drugs, it makes me question his commitment to truly improve. Although Bird said that he would've retired early if Len hadn't died, so we probably would've missed out on some of the former's greatness during his twilight years, including being in The Dream Team. On the other hand, there was a belief that the Bulls were trying to get into a good draft position by limiting MJ's minutes in '86, but he refused to just lie down so he helped the team qualify for the postseason. Who knows, perhaps him & Bias could've been teammates instead.

[@dougbrown6534]

@@jp3813 hell bias and jordan combo dam that would have been dam near instant champ threat. And as for bias's self control if I'm not mistaken the only time he tried drugs they killed him

[@hoverboard6773]

What if Bad Boy Pistons are good?

[@khristoosmoove8087]

Please make this a series

[@CC-oi9mc]

What if the Warriors drafted Nikola Jokic? But basketball reasons is always the craziest story to me every time I remember that I can’t stop laughing

[@lolgotem2426]

what if danny green shot that game winning 3 in game 5

[@mike.cdn7212]

LeBron still wins FMVP

[@vitaopereira2234]

Man Duncan, Tracy and Hill could be a 5 rings team.

[@jpmnky]

I really think that Houston would’ve gotten one, maybe two off Chicago. Going that deep so many years in a row would’ve caught up to them before 1998 also. Look what happened to Detroit after five years of it. They fell apart completely.

[@Austin-sq2lj]

“James harden was the perfect third banana”😂😂😂😂

[@arctan5837]

What if Lebron went to college and avoided the Cavs?

[@mike.cdn7212]

You use that question for a lot of players.

[@Mickey-gr5ct]

What if Petrović lived?

[@youtuber3328]

i did do and will for multiple reasons 100% really truly fully and completely hope that reincarnation literally always has and will be as real as possible for as long and often as possible seriously period no questions asked at all not even one in one place on one occasion for even one split second

[@theaussielegend7144]

What if Scottie pippin wasn’t treaded to the bulls and stayed in Seattle

[@jp3813]

What if Portland drafted Jordan instead of Bowie?

[@milkmanchannel1]

I still think "What if Arvydas Sabonis got to the league at a younger age" is an often overlooked What If

That Lance Stevenson's blow to Lebron's face still cracks me up. Dude's eccentric

[@tylerherro5627]

What if Tyler Herro always played like he did in the playoffs last year?

[@jab1289]

Tim Duncan joining the Magic would have been huge, but what about this: What if they sign Duncan and T-Mac, but decide to hold on to a young big man by the name of Ben Wallace instead of trading him to the Pistons for Grant Hill? Imagine Duncan, Wallace, and T-Mac for the next several years. The Lakers wouldn't have won another ring.

[@MrPak-ms5md]

To be honest the 2003 draft is like the 1989 nfl draft

[@jabeiamd1352]

love this content,REMEMER TO GIVE ALL GLORY TO GOD.

[@anthonycasnyc]

🙏

[@CodeineAbdulJabbar]

3:53 Huh? 😂😂 what

[@AnOtHeRsOnIcMaIn]

Portland should have been on this list. They would have had Brandon Roy, Greg Oden, Lamarcus Aldridge, And Dame all healthy and in their prime.

[@eddiealiu]

Don’t mention rose I’ma cry 😢

[@jopiaspieder1184]

If Jordan never retired those years from basketball the Rockets would still of won those back to back Championships. Hakeem was just too unstoppable those years even Jordan admits it.

[@mmldtop6005]

The biggest what if in history. Is what if zaza didn't injure kawhi Kawhi and spurs was easily dismantling warriors in 2017, it's the birth of the best player. If spurs win all those championsi from 2017-2019 against warriors with durant, kawhi would have the argument as the goat of nba

[@noahzaifman3371]

what if greg oden came into his prime and Brandan Roy had stayed a little longer and you add cj McCullum and dame lillard in later years and already have a all star pf in lamarcus aldridge

[@tredecomedy1296]

The Rose story makes me feel bad every time I hear it 🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️

[@KDuff-2015]

#1. What if Chicago Bulls drafted Karl Malone in 1985 instead of Kieth Lee, Dennis Rodman in 1986 instead of Brad Sellers & Reggie Miller in 1987 instead of Horace Grant. Starting 5 in the hypothetical Triangle would have been Pippen/Miller/Jordan/Rodman/Malone😳😨 #2. What if Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Kawhi Leonard in 2011 instead of Tristan Thompson, Damian Lillard in 2012 instead of Dion Waiters, Giannis Antetokounmpo I’m 2013 instead of Anthony Bennett, Joel Embiid in 2014 instead of Andrew Wiggins(No K-Love trade) LeBron in the 2014”Return” to Cleveland would have had: Irving Lillard Leonard James Embiid 6th Man young Giannis😱🤯

[@jaysouthmusic8230]

Whaaaat now that would have been a super team but a good version they definitely would have won more titles

[@bananabonzai]

Pacers trading their pick for George Hill made a lot of sense and was still a good move. Paul George needed to be the primary ball handler to develop and also Lance Stephenson was iconic for the Pacers culture.

[@youtuber3328]

what if the hawks never once at all traded bill russell

[@NathanWykoff]

This Channel is so underrated it’s not even funny😔🤦🏼‍♂️

[@jab1289]

What if Dennis Rodman was traded to the Magic in 1993? They looked into it, but the Pistons wanted Dennis Scott, and the trade didn't happen. What if Chris Webber was traded from the Wizards to the Lakers in 1999 right after the lockout for Elden Campbell, Eddie Jones, and Nick Van Exel? Webber thought that was going to happen, but he was sent to the Kings instead.

[@jaysouthmusic8230]

That’s crazy I never knew that imagine Chris Webber shaq and Kobe on the lakers🤯

[@lebronlillard8754]

"Now they have zero" hahah

[@youtuber3328]

what if the 1995 season mvp award went to hakeem olajuwon

[@broadstreet21]

The other side of the Tim Duncan scenario is what then happens with the Spurs and Gregg Popovich?

[@robwasilewski9273]

What if Len Bias and Reggie Lewis never passed away?

[@dribblegodxd5905]

Who’s watching in 2021

[@ronmangoba1159]

If the T-wolves drafted Curry, will the Klay Thompson - Kevin Love trade push through? and what if Minnesota had the Splash Brothers then? If Len Bias didn't die, the 1987 Finals would have been a different story, and if Bias lived and played in the 90's and played alongside Reggie Lewis (who also what if didn't die either), they would give Jordan and the Bulls a challenge and probably would face Hakeem in 94 or 95 (or even both) Now the other what ifs would be that if KD never joined the Warriors and instead stayed in OKC or teamed up with LeBron with the Cavs, The Celtics never got KG and instead Garnett ends up with the Lakers, Bosh and James stayed with their teams in 2010 or Wade, Bosh and James instead formed their big 3 in Toronto or Cleveland (and also if Melo joined them), Howard stayed in Orlando and never got traded, Kyrie never got traded to the Celtics and stayed with LeBron etc.....

[@roygoodhand1301]

Duncan signs with Orlando: Detroit wins back-to-back titles despite drafting Darko

[@wayne1233]

What IF Nonstop Sports stopped?

[@reformed827]

Kawhi needed the spurs shooting coach tho

[@grantrmoore]

Intro aged well lol

[@iso.brady13]

What if LeBron went to college

[@danpatrickth2759]

What if Grant Hill never gotten injured? What if Allen Houston and the Knicks won the NBA championship? What if Penny Hardaway went to the Golden State Warriors as a rookie? What if Michael Jordan went to the Portland Trailblazers as a rookie?

[@buenvidanadz1969]

While it could be argued that the OKC young core would've not flourished into "better individual players" due to shared time and glory, especially the thought of the three of them winning MVPs in the same team, that team would've still been elite going forward. Harden, while possibly not producing MVP caliber numbers because of sharing the court with Durant and Westbrook, would most likely still flourish as an all-star, and the same goes for Westbrook.

[@bwallz600]

What if j.r. Scored

[@jt6735]

When he mentioned Kobe🙁

[@Lilpeteythegoat]

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 Rip

[@jt6735]

Rip

[@tefigs2092]

Lin Bias was like a Michel Jordan V.2

[@swanandjoshi333]

Nope

[@tefigs2092]

@@swanandjoshi333 he was there were equal

[@swanandjoshi333]

@@tefigs2092 At one point he was, but after 2 years, he was no match to Jordan, even Charles Barkley was better than what he had become

[@jacksonbates4242]

What if Shaq stayed in Orlando

[@richmondjay8614]

It will affect on the player’s future all star or skills

[@dheerkadakia3616]

Just imagine pistons defence with carmelo's buckets that's the best combination

[@marceloasensiofilho3833]

There was a "what if" missing from the video. That being "What if Larry Bird never got injured?"

[@dejones803]

What if the Bucks never traded Dirk?

[@Bubas1]

What if charlett kept Kobe

[@nemesiobetaizar5287]

I'm still thankful to Doc Rivers to this day hahaha....

[@donscott6720]

Larry legend

[@robertscherer737]

What if the Hawks kept Luka Doncic

[@shyguyeli2178]

Greg oden? If he was healthy dear god

[@Stonecoldalston]

To me Len Bias is the biggest what If In NBA History Imagine he lived up to the hype and was MJ rival

[@jovanieortiz5235]

One more ring and maybe an actual fight between the two.

[@mike49ers84]

What if there was no strike in the '95 baseball season, would Jordan have come back or stayed with baseball?

[@jab1289]

He would have stayed with baseball. I believe he came back in March 1995 because he thought that the strike would continue, and that there would be replacement players (Jordan didn't want to be one of those).

[@weetmane.1780]

Shaq was just Goku and Kobe was Vegeta

[@dripkagegaara7974]

otherway

[@kyeonne]

You forgot the what if of "What if Giannis Antetokounmpo was drafted No. 1 Overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers"

[@kingjy42issait85]

Lebron definitely wouldn’t have the patience to wait for him to develop. He would’ve gotten traded for KLove too

[@Jneedagetriooutdapen]

Blasted off? Pun intended?

[@casper_thacomic9389]

In 1999 2000 the sixers attempted to trade Iverson to the pistons and the deal was done but the NBA vetoed it Imagine that early 2000s piston team with Allen Iverson instead Chauncey Billups OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@awc6007]

A weird one I’ve always thought about, “What if Dennis Rodman stayed Lakers?” During the 99 season lockout crisis he joined the Lakers on the advice of his sister and players 23 games with them. It was brief but he did play with Kobe and Shaq for a bit which is pretty cool. Rodman later said he left cause of how serious Shaq and Kobe were and all their drama BS. But what if they made it work? Those 3 could have been a monster team, at least it would have been cool to see Rodman play in the 2000 season and get his 6th ring with LA. Man would’ve had amazing moments with 3 legendary teams. Real GOAT Résumé.

[@jab1289]

Heck, they may have won in 99 with Rodman (instead of SA), although Kurt Rambis would have stayed as coach in 1999-00 (more than likely). With Rambis, I see Rodman melting down if he comes back, and the Lakers don't repeat without Phil Jackson.

[@brooklynmitrica577]

The BIGGEST what If? Has to be of the greatest team ever played (bulls) stayed together for atleast another 5 years. In my opinion they would have won an extra 2 rings. Mj would have become the all time leading scorer, rodman would clump near the top on the all time rebounds. And there would be no debate ok who the greatest team or who the goat is

[@88er]

Okc have chris paul as a future hof

[@broadstreet21]

If Bias lived, it would have changed the entire history from the 80s onward. The Celtics would have won more titles, for sure, but then the Lakers would then move to replenish their own roster, as would the Bulls. The 90s would be a three-way rivalry with these three. Ewing would get traded to Chicago, after Olajuwon signs with the Celtics in free agency, just so their respective new teams can have a fighting chance. Johnson cuts out his swinger lifestyle and doesn't get AIDS, plays until 96. After Bias retires, Celtics wind up drafting, Gasol, Ming, and James, forming the first multiracial Big Three, win two more chips in the 2000s.

[@tumenjine5381]

What if Klay and Kd was not injured in 2018-19 finals

[@SP.007]

What If Sabonis Joined the NBA in 1986.

[@tumenjine5381]

What if Draymond was not suspended in 2016 finals

[@matthewcheng9113]

James Harden was traded to the Rockets and the guy said James Harden blasted off

[@britestarr3783]

What if Tyler herro kept his bubble form.

[@TTJJCC]

Grant Hill was always injured with Orlando. Orlando had minimal success and really just had McGrady. I don't even think they made it past the 1st round during the time with Hill and T Mac.

[@stephanieduncan9504]

What if Rodman didn't party as much.

[@j.rnobleza457]

What if J.R Smith knew it was tied? 🤣

[@jonnykilroy9762]

I don’t think the Pistons still win the chip if they take Melo over Darko. Gotta remember Sheed was the missing piece that put em over the top and they only made that trade because it was already clear Darko wasn’t what they expected. They probably don’t even make that trade if they have Melo instead

[@EricH-hn7rt]

The thing is Kawhii developed with the Spurs because the Spurs knew what to do with him, I doubt that if kawhi went to the pacers he would be a superstar