In their first year in Cincinnati, the Royals end a two-year playoff drought by finishing in third place with a record of 33-39. Helping to lead the way is Maurice Stokes, who finishes second in rebounding averring 18.

1 boards per game. In the final game of the regular season on March 12th Stokes suffered a scary injury when his head hit the hardwood floor in a game in Minneapolis against the Lakers.

Despite being knocked unconscious, Stokes would play in the first playoff game against the Detroit Pistons just three days later. On the flight home after losing to the Pistons, Stokes suddenly fell ill and was rushed to the hospital upon landing.

As the Pistons completed a two-game sweep over the Royals, Stokes would lapse into a coma, where he would lie unconscious for several weeks. A test would determine that he suffered encephalopathy, a traumatic brain injury that damaged his motor control center.

The injury would leave Maurice Stokes as quadriplegic without the ability to speak. Teammate Jack Twyman would serve as Stokes's legal guardian until he died in 1970, arranging for benefit games and golf tournaments to help the Stokes family deal with medical bills.