Going out in Style
Selecting an All-Star team of players based solely on their final NBA season.
This will be a bit of a frivolous post in which I select an All-Star team of players based solely on how they performed in their final NBA season. I did not include players whose careers ended tragically due to injury (e.g., Maurice Stokes) or death (e.g., Reggie Lewis). All comments will be made Zander Hollander-style.
Backcourt
John Stockton, 2002-03
19th season
41 years old (age at end of regular season)
Started all 82 games for the Utah Jazz, averaging 10.8 PPG, 7.7 APG, and 1.7 SPG in 27.7 MPG … It was the 17th time in 19 seasons this ironman did not miss a game … Ranked fifth in the league in APG and 12th in SPG … Shot 48.3% from the field (including 36.3% from 3-point range) and 82.6% from the free throw line … His 629 assists are 144 more than any other player has recorded in his final season … Utah went 47-35 in the regular season and fell in the first round of the playoffs to the Sacramento Kings.
Clyde Drexler, 1997-98
15th season
35 years old
Averaged 18.4 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 5.5 APG, and 1.8 SPG in 70 games (all starts) for the Houston Rockets … Led the Rockets in PPG, APG, and SPG … Ranked 10th in the league in SPG and 18th in APG … Surpassed 6,000 career assists, becoming just the third player in NBA history to reach 20,000 points, 6,000 rebounds, and 6,000 assists (Oscar Robertson and John Havlicek) … Houston finished 41-41 in the regular season, qualifying for the postseason as the eighth seed in the Western Conference … Lost in five games to the top-seeded Utah Jazz in the first round of the playoffs despite holding a 2-1 series lead.
Frontcourt
Chet Walker, 1974-75
13th season
35 years old
Started all 76 games he appeared in for the Midwest Division champion Chicago Bulls (47-35) … Averaged 19.2 PPG on 48.7% shooting from the field … Led the Bulls in points (1,461), ranking third in the NBA in free throw made (413), seventh in free throws attempted (480), and ninth in free throw percentage (86.0%) … Earned one second-place vote and two third-place votes in MVP Award voting … Chicago advanced to the Western Conference Finals, where they lost a tough seven-game series to the eventual champion Golden State Warriors.
Wilt Chamberlain, 1972-73
14th season
36 years old
Played in all 82 games for the Los Angeles Lakers, averaging a career-low 13.2 PPG, a league-leading 18.6 RPG, and 4.5 APG … Set a league single-season record by shooting 72.7% from the field (broken in 2019-20 by Mitchell Robinson) … Was selected to the NBA All-Star Game for the 13th time … Named to the All-Defensive First Team for the second consecutive season … Finished fourth in the MVP Award balloting, claiming 12 first-place votes … Lakers went 60-22 in the regular season, but lost to the New York Knicks in five games in the NBA Finals.
Bill Russell, 1968-69
13th season
35 years old
Averaged 9.9 PPG (a career low), 19.3 RPG, and 4.9 APG in 77 games played for the Boston Celtics … Ranked third in the league in RPG, fifth in MPG (42.7), and 13th in APG … Selected to his 12th NBA All-Star Game … Was named to the All-Defensive First Team, the first season this honor was bestowed … Picked up 11 first-place votes in the MVP Award voting, finishing fourth overall … Served his third season as player-coach, leading the Celtics to a 48-34 record in the regular season … Beat the favored Los Angles Lakers in the NBA Finals, his 11th championship in 13 seasons (second as a coach).
Sixth Man
George Yardley, 1959-60
7th season
31 years old
Missed just two games for the Syracuse Nationals, averaging 20.2 PPG and 7.9 RPG in 32.9 MPG … Ranked 13th in the league in scoring average, 10th in field goal percentage (45.3%), and eighth in free throw percentage (81.6%) … Earned his sixth consecutive NBA All-Star selection … Syracuse went 45-30 in the regular season before dropping a three-game series to the Philadelphia Warriors in the Eastern Division Semifinals … Did not begin his NBA career until he was nearly 25 years old due to a service commitment with the U.S. Navy.
not many players from recent years have gone out still hooping; the lure of sticking around for another contract —or ring-chasing from the end of the bench— is too enticing.
Zach Randolph's last season was an outlier in that regard: started all 58 games he played in, averaged 14.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg + 2.2 apg on 47/34/78 shooting.
That's a great idea for a post! I feel like there should be more spots. I'd like to see Tim Duncan on the team (arguably he could replace Wilt) or Jerry West.