The list of injured players in the NBA reads like a who's who list of superstars. In all, teams are on pace to have over 1000 games missed by star players this season.
Per injury tracking date from Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes, games missed are up by 35% compared to the same point in the 2023-24 season. In addition, lost games are up over 16% already compared to the season before that.
It was hoped that the combination of the NBA's Player Participation Policy and a 65-game requirement for postseason awards would see players on the floor more. Instead, absences by star players are tending upwards. The Participation Policy defines a star player as someone who has made an All-Star or All-NBA team in the last three seasons. There are 49 such players this season and they've already combined to miss 83 games, compared to 67 last season.