Hoosiers in the Pros: Injuries Limited Several Former Stars During NBA Season

There were nine former Indiana Hoosiers who played in the NBA this season, but injuries were a big issue with this group. Here's what they did this season, and what's ahead for three of them in the NBA playoffs.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The NBA regular season has ended, and nine former Indiana players saw time in the league this season. However, the story line was drawn mostly by injuries, some of them serious, to several of the former Hoosiers. 

A lot of seasons were ended early, most notably to Thomas Bryant and Eric Gordon, and several others – like Romeo Langford and Cody Zeller, missed substantial time.

Because of injuries and team performance, only three Hoosiers will be playing games in the playoffs this season, Yogi Ferrell of the Los Angeles Clippers, Romeo Langford of the Boston Celtics and Juwan Morgan of the Utah Jazz.  And all three are reserves far down the bench, so they may not be playing much either.

Here's how the 2020-21 NBA seasons went down for the nine Hoosiers who spent time in the league this season, with stats, contract status and the skinny on what's up with them now, and going forward: 

OG Anunoby, Toronto Raptors 

OG Anunoby posted career high numbers this season, his fourth in the NBA, but he endured a difficult season. He was only able to play in 43 of the Raptors' 72 games because of a variety of injuries and COVID-19 issues, and missed the final month of the the season with a calf injury. The Raptors played their home games in Tampa, Fla., this year because of travel restrictions to and from Canada.

• Key stats: Games played/started – 43/43. Points – 15.9. Rebounds – 5.5. Assists – 2.2. Steals – 1.5.
• Team season: The Raptors, who won a world title just two years ago, finished 27-45 and failed to make the playoffs.
• Playoff picture:  None.
• Time at Indiana: Anunoby played two seasons at Indiana from 2015 through 2017. He averaged 4.9 points per game as a freshman and was averaging 11.1 as a sophomore when his season ended with a knee injury after just 17 games. He played for Tom Crean during the final two seasons of the Crean era. 
• Contract status: Anunoby signed a four-year contract extension this season that runs through the 2025 season. The deal is worth $72 million guaranteed.
• The skinny: No team was hurt worse by COVID than the Raptors, who basically had to play 72 roads games. Anunoby played well when he was in there and is a rising NBA star. and his stats above were all career highs. "Finding a new routine here (in Tampa) without our facilities was tough to get used to,'' he said. "It was tough, especially dealing with all the COVID stuff, but we adjusted. We'll use the summer to get better.'' His injuries were all minor this season, so he should be 100 percent when the fall rolls around. The new contract is a wonderful thing, too.

Thomas Bryant, Washington Wizards

Thomas Bryant is emerging as one of the better big men in the NBA, and just when the Wizards seemed ready to be a serious playoff contender, Bryant was injured just 10 games into the season and was lost for the year with a torn ACL. It was a devastating blow for Bryant and the Wizards.

• Key stats: Games played/started – 10/10. Points – 14.3. Rebounds – 6.1. Minutes played — 27.1.
• Team season: The Wizards went 34-38 to claim the No. 8 seed in the NBA Eastern Conference.
• Playoff picture: The Wizards earned a spot in the NBA's new Play-In Tournament. They lost to Boston 118-100 on Tuesday night and will play the Indiana Pacers on Thursday to earn the No. 8 seed in the playoffs in a winner-take-all game.
• Time at Indiana: Bryant played two seasons for Indiana from 2015 through 2017 for Tom Crean. He started all 69 games and averaged 12.6 points per game his sophomore year.
• Contract status: Bryant is signed through the 2022 season. He made $8.3 million this season, and will make $8.7 million next year.
• The skinny: Bryant is expected to be at full strength when the 2021-22 season returns in the fall, and it's a big year for him. The Wizards have a lot of talent, and really missed his presence in the middle. It's a contract year for him, and a healthy season could result in a massive payday.

Yogi Ferrell, Los Angeles Clippers

Yogi Ferrell spent most of his winter in the G-League, but was signed to a 10-day contract by the Los Angeles Clippers, and then inked for the rest of the season. He's one of three players still alive and able to play in the postseason. 

• Key stats: Games played/started – 10/0. Points – 5.6. Assists – 2.2
• Team season: The Clippers finished 45-27 and earned the fourth seed in the NBA Western Conference.
• Playoff picture: The Clippers are the No. 4 seed in the playoffs and start their seven-game first round series with the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.  
• Time at Indiana: Ferrell was a fan favorite during his four years at Indiana, winning two Big Ten titles and leaving Bloomington as the school's all-time assist leader.
• Contract status: The Clippers signed him through the remainder of the season and he has a non-guaranteed deal for nearly $1.1 million next season.
• The skinny: It was nice to see Ferrell land with a quality organization that can make some noise in the playoffs. He was signed as insurance after starting point guard Patrick Beverley  broke his hand, but he's good to go for the playoffs and Ferrell's role likely will be limited.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Yogi Ferrell (11) drives to the basket around Oklahoma City Thunder forward Josh Hall. (Alonzo Adams/USA TODAY Sports)

Eric Gordon, Houston Rockets

This was clearly the most frustrating of Eric Gordon's 13 seasons in the NBA. He was injured most of the time, and his team was completely dismantled. Gordon missed the last two months with a groin injury and the Rockets went 15-57, the worst record in the NBA.  

• Key stats: Games played/started 27/13. Points – 17.8. Career 3-pointers  – 1,622, 28th best in NBA history.
• Team season: The Rockets' 15-57 record was the worst in the league after trading James Harden and, later, Victor Oladipo. A complete makeover is in order.
• Playoff picture: None.
• Time at Indiana: Gordon played one season at Indiana, in 2008, and averaged 20.9 points per game in Kelvin Sampson's final season. 
• Contract status: Gordon is signed through the 2024 season, with three years and more than $54 million remaining on his deal. It's likely that he'll finish out his careeer elsewhere though as the Rockets prep for a major rebuild.
• The skinny:  Eric Gordon is one of the best three-point shooters in the game, and even though he's in his mid-30s, he's still an important piece for a good team. The Gordon news in the offseason will likely include a lot of trade rumors.

Romeo Langford, Boston Celtics 

It's been another year of dealing with injuries for second-year guard Romeo Langford, but he's healthy now as the Celtics enter the playoffs. It's still too early to make a judgment on Langford's potential as a pro.

• Key stats: Games played/started – 18/4. Points – 3.1. Rebounds – 1.9. 
• Team season: The Celtics finished 36-36 during the regular season. Langford didn't play until April 4 after having wrist surgery in the fall to repair a ligament. 
• Playoff picture: The Celtics were forced to compete in the NBA's new Play-in Tournament, but beat the Washington Wizards easily to clinch the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. They will play the Brooklyn Nets in the first round.
• Time at Indiana: Langford 
• Contract status: Langford's rookie contract runs through 2023 with the Celtics. He made $3.6 million this year, $3.8 million next year and $5.6 million in the 2022-23 season. 
• The skinny: For three straight seasons, his last at Indiana and his first two with the Celtics, Langford has had to deal with injuries and hasn't been able to yet prove his worth at the NBA level. He did play 14 minutes Tuesday night, and should have some kind of role in the Celtics' series with the Nets.

Boston Celtics guard Romeo Langford (45) deflects the ball away from New York Knicks forward Julius Randle during a game at Madison Square Garden. (Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports)

Juwan Morgan, Utah Jazz

Morgan didn't see much playing time for the Utah Jazz this season, averaging only 5.1 minutes per game in the 29 games he appeared in and scoring just 1.2 points per game. He's deep on their depth chart, and it's unlikely that he sees much action in the playoffs. He dealt with a heel injury late in the season, but is healthy now.

• Key stats:  Games played/started – 29/0
• Team season: Utah finished 52-20, the best record in the NBA this season. They have earned the top seed in the NBA playoffs through the Finals.
• Playoff picture: Utah will play the No. 8 seed in the first round of the playoffs. Their opponent hasn't been determined yet because of the Play-In Tournament.
• Time at Indiana: Morgan played four seasons at Indiana from 2015 through 2019. He averaged 16.5 points as a junior and 15.5 as a senior.
• Contract status: xx Morgan is making $1.5 million this season in the final year of his two-year deal. He will be a restricted free agent in the offseason.
• The skinny: Morgan is on a very good team that's also very deep at his position, so he didn't get a chance to play much. There are some in Salt Lake City who were hoping for more from him, so it will be interesting to see what the Jazz do with him going forward. 

Victor OIadipo, Miami Heat

Victor Oladipo spent the year gambling on himself, and he lost in a big way. After turning down a long-term contract with the Indiana Pacers, he was traded to the Houston Rockets. They offered him a long-term deal too, and he said no to that. He was then traded to the Miami Heat at the deadline, but then suffered a serious knee injury that might keep him out of all of NEXT season, too. 

• Key stats: Games played/started – 33/33. Points – 19.8. Rebounds – 4.8. Assists – 4.6. Minutes played — 32.7.
• Team season: Indiana (34-38), Houston (15-57), Miami (40-32).
• Playoff picture: The Miami Heat are the No. 6 seed in the NBA's Eastern Conference and will play the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. 
• Time at Indiana: Oladipo played three seasons at Indiana from 2011 to 2013, and was a key member of the 2013 squad that won the Big Ten and was ranked No. 1 in the country for some time.
• Contract status: His four-year, $84 million contract is expiring, and he was looking for a max contract. But now this injury completely changes everything, and there will be no team willing to pony up a lot of money for him right now.
• The skinny: Oladipo's serious knee injury was a major blow to his future could very easily have cost him $100 million. He made a bad decision, but it's still hard to not feel horrible for him. He's about as loyal of a Hoosier as they come. 

Miami Heat guard Victor Oladipo (4) battles Memphis Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas (17) for the ball. (Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports)

Noah Vonleh, Brooklyn Nets

Noah Vonleh isn't in the league at the moment, and has played with seven different teams during his six years in the league. He played four games with the Brooklyn Nets earlier this year but then was waived and no one else picked him up. 

• Key stats: Games played/started – 4/0. Minutes played – 11. Points scored – None.
• Team season: The Brooklyn Nets went 48-24 this season and are the No. 2 seed in the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs/
• Playoff picture: The Nets start a first-round series with the Boston Celtics
• Time at Indiana: Vonleh played one season for the Hoosiers, in 2013-14, and averaged 11.3 points per game. He made 48.5 percent of his three-pointers that season.
• Contract status: Free agent.
• The skinny:  It's going to be interesting what happens next for Vonleh, who's talented enough to keep teams interested, but not talented enough to stick with them. Is this the end of his NBA career?

Cody Zeller, Charlotte Hornets

Cody Zeller broke his hand in the season opener, and missed a third of the season for the improving Hornets. When he was back, he was in and out of the starting lineup and the Hornets snuck into the Play-In Tournament. He had another productive season, his eighth with the Hornets.

• Key stats: Games started/played – 48/21
• Team season: Charlotte finished 33-39, which was just good enough to make it into the NBA's new Play-In Tournament. They lost to the Indiana Pacers 144-117, but Zeller had a perfect night. He was 7-for-7 from the field, and 3-for-3 from the free throw line for 17 points.
• Playoff picture:  The Hornets'season is over after losing to the Pacers. 
• Time at Indiana: Zeller played two years at Indiana from 2011 to 2013 and was a standout performer on Indiana's Big Ten champions in 2013. He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated in the preseason, when the Hoosiers were picked as the No. 1 team in the country in the preseason.
• Contract status: Cody Zeller made $15.4 million this season in the final year of his four-year, $56-million contract that he signed in 2017. He'll be an unrestricted free agent this summer and should have plenty of suitors.
• The skinny: It's going to be an interesting summer for Zeller. His contract is up, and he's an unrestricted free agent. There's always a market for a big man who had move and defend, and play multiple rolls with a team.