Biggest fall from grace in NBA history?

[wdleehi]

Tim Hardaway.

You really think so?

Dude was All-NBA 2nd team in '99 at age 32 (coming off a 3 year run of All NBA 1st or 2nd team).  And he had a solid 2000 and 2001 as the starting point guard for a 50+ win team that was a lot of people's favorite to come out of the East.  That's at ages 33 and 34.  He drops off after that and bounces around a few teams, but that's at age 35+.  Can't expect too much from a 6'0" PG then.

Remember his comment after he retired.


He has not been allowed around the NBA since. 

[Cman]

Fall from grace?  Easy.

The answer is the only player besides Michael Jordan who has won an NCAA Championship, and NBA championship, and earned over $90 million during the course of his career.

'Toine?

'Toine fits, but I'd argue that both Kemp and Baker had bigger falls from grace.

[bdm860]

Fall from grace?  Easy.

The answer is the only player besides Michael Jordan who has won an NCAA Championship, and NBA championship, and earned over $90 million during the course of his career.

Come on now, Rip Hamilton ('99 UConn, '04 Pistons, $103M and counting) hasn't fallen off that much.

Oh wait, you meant 'Toine. 

[fairweatherfan]

For the injury category, I don't think anybody tops Penny Hardaway.  1st team NBA to scrub seemingly overnight.

[Rondo2287]

I would have to include Jordan getting kicked out of the league for a few years.

[angryguy77]

I would have to include Jordan getting kicked out of the league for a few years.

You really want stern to "pay you a visit" don't you?

[perks-a-beast]

I don't see Toine as that big of a fall. In his personal life, Yes. Going from a multi millionaire to being broke is a big fall, but in his basketball career, not so much. Even after his best years he was still a big factor on the 2006 Heat title team at the age of 30. After that things didn't go so great for Antoine but his game wasn't meant to age well. He was an out of shape, 3 point chucking, no defense playing forward.

Did he fall off? Yes. But it wasn't near the fall that guys like McGrady and Iverson took. At least Antoine has a ring to show for it all.

[Boris Badenov]

If you include pre-NBA performance/hype, Sebastian Telfair.

[fairweatherfan]

In Space Jam, Shawn Bradley had his powers stolen by a monster who immediately became more effective than he ever was.  Then he got them back and was still just Shawn Bradley.

[bdm860]

Let's not forget about Isaiah Rider.

Looks like his mom cleaned up his wikipedia entry and took all the bad things out.  But he has a ring, and was a 20ppg scorer for a while before dropping off the face of the earth, and has always had a rap sheet longer than his basketball résumé.

http://basketbawful.blogspot.com/2010/08/worst-nba-champions-isaiah-rider.html

[Jon]

Tim Hardaway.

You really think so?

Dude was All-NBA 2nd team in '99 at age 32 (coming off a 3 year run of All NBA 1st or 2nd team).  And he had a solid 2000 and 2001 as the starting point guard for a 50+ win team that was a lot of people's favorite to come out of the East.  That's at ages 33 and 34.  He drops off after that and bounces around a few teams, but that's at age 35+.  Can't expect too much from a 6'0" PG then.

I agree.

I think there's a bigger argument to be made for Penny Hardaway, but that was mostly due to injuries. 

[mgent]

Sheed.  Huge drop in rebounding/offense and one big failure to Pau Gasol, while his fellow seniors even older than him were thriving on new teams (Kurt Thomas, Camby, Shaq)

[BballTim]

  I saw Michael Ray Richardson on a list. If we're going back (and including injuries) then Bernard King and Marques Johnson.

[pp34isthe1]

maybe not the biggest fall, but biggest abuse of talent goes to T-Mac/Vince Carter. Both should have won multiple championships.

Ill give the nod to Telfair though.

[csfansince60s]

AI....and no, not Andre Iguadala...the other '6er AI...Mr. "Practice?!?" himself