HOF players that went out on top

[penbeast0]

Reading the thread about HOF players who ended as journeymen/role players made me wonder how many DIDn't end up that way. How many HOF players ended with an All-Star season fitting to their careers?

Off the top of my head:
Bill Russell, Bob Pettit, Larry Bird, Jerry West . . . who else?

[ice9]

Magic (excluding the handful of games in 96)
Jordan
Karl Malone
Dr J
Stockton

These guys ranged from solid to great even in their twilight years.

[bstein14]

I can't really say Jordan went out on top.

He was on a lotto team 2 years in Washington.

If he would have never came back after his 2nd 3 peat he would have went out on top a 2nd time.

But the Wizards years ruined it for me a little.

And no way Malone went out on top with the Lakers.

To me, I have more respect for guys like Reggie Miller, John Stockton, Joe Dumars, etc...

Guys who played great for one team, and stuck with that team rather than trying to clinch onto a ring from someone else.

To me Reggie, Stockton, and Dumars all went out on top. As well as David Robinson.

[BigHands]

Sorry for the formatting

Here are some stats

[BigHands]

Players over 50 games and >= 8 RPG in their final year


year fname lname gp PPG
1968 Bill Russell 77 19.27
1972 Wilt Chamberlain 82 18.61
1957 Maurice Stokes 63 18.13
1974 Happy Hairston 74 12.78
1967 Jim Hadnot 77 12.16
1975 Larry Kennon 81 11.07
1968 Kendall Rhine 73 11.01
1950 Alex Groza 66 10.74
1980 Wes Unseld 63 10.68
1973 Dave Debusschere 71 10.66
1957 Harry Gallatin 72 10.40
1967 Joe Strawder 73 9.38
1968 Tom Hoover 53 8.91
1968 Wayne Embry 78 8.62
1968 Rudy Larusso 75 8.32
1987 Steve Stipanovich 80 8.28
1965 Johnny Kerr 71 8.25
1994 Roy Tarpley 55 8.16

[BigHands]

Players over 50 games and >= 4.5 APG in their final year


year fname lname gp PPG
2002 John Stockton 82 7.67
1971 Larry Brown 76 7.22
1993 Isiah Thomas 58 6.88
2001 Nick Vanexel 72 6.64
2003 T.J. Ford 55 6.47
1989 Dennis Johnson 75 6.47
1957 Maurice Stokes 63 6.40
1988 Norm Nixon 53 6.40
1973 Oscar Robertson 70 6.37
1983 Rob Williams 79 5.87
1974 Warren Jabali 62 5.77
1974 Jimmy Obrien 79 5.61
1997 Clyde Drexler 70 5.46
1990 Darnell Valentine 65 5.40
1957 George King 63 5.35
1975 Fatty Taylor 76 5.28
1959 Dick Mcguire 68 5.26
1984 Lionel Hollins 80 5.21
1981 Kenny Higgs 76 5.20
1959 Slater Martin 64 5.16
1966 K.c. Jones 78 4.99
1954 Bob Davies 72 4.93
1982 Edmund Sherod 64 4.86
1968 Bill Russell 77 4.86
1978 Gail Goodrich 74 4.82
1950 Ralph Beard 66 4.82
1997 Mark Price 63 4.71

EDIT: TJ Ford is a data error and Maurice Stokes career ended prematurely.

[arrpy]

Reggie Miller.

[Red Robot]

Drexler retired an allstar.

[cdubbz]

Barkley wasnt bad.
Scottie Pippen wasnt an all-star, but he wasnt crap.
I have a feeling kobe bryant is gona end like jordan....with a title.

[snaquille oatmeal]

Kareem abdul Jabbar

[Puertorique]

David Robinson retired after winning a 2nd title.

[Point forward]

Bill Sharman and Tom Heinsohn had a ring-studded farewell. Reggie Miller has already been mentioned, and though he was not THAT good anymore in his last season, Dr. J had a nice farewell. IIRC every game he played in his last season was sold out b/c everyone wanted to see Doc one last time.

[legacyinthemakin89c]

If the Lakers go on another 3-peat or something, (he probably would wait for a 7th title) but I wouldn't be surprised to see Kobe retire around 33 or 34 on top, in his prime, and no bad years to remember him for.

[penbeast0]

Great lists Bighands . . . anyone have a list of players who were All-NBA or even All-Stars (though some of those were pure PR) in their final seasons?>

[BigHands]

I didn't realize I had this data until your question made me look again.

Players who were all stars in their final year:

Year firstname lastname
1950 Alex Groza
1950 Ralph Beard
1954 Jim Pollard
1957 Maurice Stokes
1959 George Yardley
1961 Paul Arizin
1964 Bob Pettit
1964 Tom Heinsohn
1967 Dewitt Menyard
1968 Bill Russell
1968 Rudy LaRusso
1968 Willie Somerset
1972 Wilt Chamberlain
1973 Dave DeBusschere
1977 John Havlicek
1986 Julius Erving
1988 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
1991 Larry Bird
2002 Michael Jordan

[BigHands]

Here are the same players with the season stats in their last year (regardless of games played)

year fname lname gp PPG RPG APG
1950 Alex Groza 66 21.65 10.74 2.36
1950 Ralph Beard 66 16.83 3.80 4.82
1954 Jim Pollard 63 10.81 7.27 2.54
1957 Maurice Stokes 63 16.92 18.13 6.40
1959 George Yardley 73 20.18 7.93 1.67
1961 Paul Arizin 78 21.87 6.76 2.58
1964 Tom Heinsohn 67 13.61 5.96 2.34
1964 Bob Pettit 50 22.48 12.42 2.56
1967 Dewitt Menyard 71 9.06 7.76 1.18
1968 Bill Russell 77 9.90 19.27 4.86
1968 Willie Somerset 74 23.76 4.49 3.78
1968 Rudy Larusso 75 20.67 8.32 2.12
1972 Wilt Chamberlain 82 13.22 18.61 4.45
1973 Dave Debusschere 71 18.06 10.66 3.56
1977 John Havlicek 82 16.12 4.05 4.00
1986 Julius Erving 60 16.75 4.40 3.18
1988 Kareem Abdul-jabbar 74 10.11 4.51 1.00
1991 Larry Bird 45 20.18 9.64 6.80
2002 Michael Jordan 82 20.00 6.06 3.79

[faze]

Reggie Miller played decently to end his career, but he came back for that extra year with the Pacers for a last shot at the championship. Ron Artest ended up destroying any championship hopes he had 10 games into the season.