Even the best players in the NBA have to get old. The memory of basketball fans is selective, so we collectively agree to forget things like Magic Johnson as a power forward for the Lakers or Hakeem Olajuwon putting up 7.1 points per game for Toronto. As the great Charles Barkley said, “Father Time is undefeated.”
That has held true for every single player in the history of the league, and with some of the great stars of the past decade now entering their twilight years many of us are seeing guys we grew up watching fade away. Whether it’s Kobe Bryant sitting on the sidelines for yet another Laker game or Kevin Garnett barely getting 20 minutes a night in Brooklyn, some of the greatest players in the game’s history are entering the final days of their career right in front of our very eyes.
As we approach the All-Star break and get a chance to see some of the NBA’s stars of the future, it’s important to appreciate those who are no longer quite at that level. Here are some of the biggest Declining Stars of the NBA.
*Stats are current as of 2/8/14