The NBA is built on the legends who sustain greatness over decades, but just as often, players exit the league long before fans are ready to let go.

Injuries, personal battles, shifting priorities, or tragedies have cut short careers that once seemed destined for historic heights.

With Ben Simmons reportedly questioning whether he wants to continue playing, it's worth revisiting some notable cases of players who left the game too early

44. Chris Bosh

An 11-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion with Miami, Chris Bosh had reinvented himself in his early 30s as a modern stretch big, averaging nearly 20 points a night and knocking down threes at a career-best rate. But in 2015, recurring blood clots forced him off the court and ultimately ended his career at an early stage.

What made his retirement especially painful was the timing. Bosh wasn't slowing down from a basketball standpoint; he was still producing at a high level. However, the risks associated with his condition made a return unsafe. Even after brief attempts at comebacks, the league officially ruled his illness career-ending in 2017. Two years later, he formally retired when Miami raised his No. 1 jersey to the rafters.

Across 13 seasons, Bosh left behind more than numbers. He carried the Raptors back into relevance as their franchise cornerstone, then embraced a different role with the Heat, spacing the floor for LeBron James and Dwyane Wade while anchoring the defence in two championship runs.

Bosh established himself as one of the most reliable big men of his era. His induction into the Hall of Fame in 2021 underscored the significance of his 13 seasons and secured his place among the game's greats.