Injuries sometimes ruin careers for players, and one of the most tragic careers cut short by injury is that of Brad Daugherty. A former #1 pick who was on his way to stardom until a back injury ended it all. However, he did not let that get him down and began an unlikely career as a NASCAR owner. Daugherty entered the University of North Carolina in 1982 as a 16 year old Freshman. He turned 17 by the time his Freshman season started and went on to become one of the best big men in UNC history. Daugherty played 4 seasons at UNC and finished with a career average of 14 points and 7 rebounds. His numbers were so good his senior year, 20 points, 9 rebounds, that he was selected first overall in the 1986 draft. The 1986 draft is said to be a cursed draft, and also went down as having one of the worst first round crops in league history. The tragedy for the class of 86 began on draft night when #2 overall pick Len Bias died after over dosing on Cocaine. Several other plays such as Roy Tarpley also had drug problems, and several including Daugherty where plagued by injuries their entire career. The draft is said to have been saved by the second round which included several future all-stars such as Mark Price, Dennis Rodman, Jeff Hornacek. And Drazen Petrovich.

The 1986 draft may have been had for some teams but it was very good for the Cavs. Besides Daugherty the Cavs also drafted Ron Harper, Hot Rod Williams and made a trade for Mark Price. Daugherty, Williams and Harper would all make the all-rookie team

Daugherty had a solid rookie year averaging 16 points and 8 board and help the Cavs make the playoffs. The next season Daugherty’s points jumped to 18 a game and he made his first all-star appearance and the team would make the playoffs once again. The following season the Cavs set a than franchise record with 57 wins but lost in the first round.

The next two years the Cavs had injury troubles. First in 89-90 was Daugherty who missed half the season with a back injury and the Cavs won just 42 games. The next season it was Williams and Price who missed large portions of the season due to injuries.

1991-92 brought new hope as the Cavs where once again healthy, and once again won 57 games. The team won a playoff series for the first time since 1976 and made it to the conference finals for the second time. Daugherty also averaged career best 21 points and 11 rebounds.

The team began to decline after that season as Larry Nance got older, and injuries slowed Daugherty. Daugherty did have three straight seasons from 91-93 where he averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds and he made the all-star team each of those seasons.

Back problems abruptly ended Daugherty’s ability to play. He played just 50 games in 93-94 and missed the next two seasons completely. He was forced to retire from the NBA at age 28. When he retired he was arguably the greatest Cavalier of all-time holding the record for most career points, since broken by Lebron James, and rebounds, since broken by Zydrunis Ilgauskas. He owns career averages of 19 points and 10 rebounds in 548 career games.

Upon retiring from the NBA Daugherty began various business interests including owning a car dealership. He got into NASCAR and soon owned part of Liberty Racing. He now owns part of two other racing companies; Daugherty racing and Tony Kostelnak racing. He also works for ESPN as a NASCAR analyst.

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