The Biggest Fall-Offs in NBA History

Some of our favorite NBA players come and go just like money or a two-bit hussy. Whether it be due to injuries, a drug problem, or boredom, some of these guys seem to fall off the face of the Earth. Ben Wallace, for example, started his career as a bench warmer. But once Larry Brown got a hold of him in Detroit, Wallace became one of the best defensive players ever. Big Ben had a crazy seven-year run that included a championship and four Defensive Player of the Year awards. However young'ns who didn't start watching the NBA till the late-2000s probably don't even know who he is.

Isaiah Rider's fall off story took a different path. He was a star from jump, but couldn't behave himself. Teams didn't want to put up with his shit anymore, so he was forced out. Some of the names on this list have been forgotten through time. Guys like Terrell Brandon and Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (formally Chris Jackson) came and went in a flash, but we still remember how nasty they were. In honor of Ben Wallace's 38th birthday today, we take a look at the Biggest Fall-Offs in NBA History.

Written by Angel Diaz (@ADiaz456)

RELATED: A Recent History of NBA Players Going Broke

Career years: (1994-2006); (2008)
Team(s): Magic, Suns, Knicks, Heat
Career stats: 15.2 ppg, 5 apg, 4.5 rpg, 1.6 spg
Accolades: 4x NBA All-Star (1995-1998), 3x All-NBA (1995-1997), NBA All-Rookie First Team (1994)
Reason for fall-off: Injuries

Penny was on his way to the Hall of Fame. However, Lady Luck had different plans. In 1998, Hardaway injured his left knee and was never the same again. Although he played for 14 years, the real Penny was only here for four seasons. In those first few years, Hardaway put up 19.7 points, 6.7 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.9 steals. He also carried the Magic to a Finals appearance along with Shaquille O'Neal and was a favorite for brands trying to sell us stuff. His legacy remains intact, however, with his signature Nike line still pulling in money.

Career years: (2000-2008)
Team(s): Rockets, Magic, Knicks
Career stats: 18.1 ppg, 6 apg, 5.6 rpg, 1.5 spg
Accolades: NBA Rookie of the Year (2000), 3x NBA All-Star (2002-2004)
Reason for fall-off: Injuries and a bad attitude

Stevie Franchise has fallen on hard times as of late, or so it seems. It wasn't always that way though. During his time as a Rocket, Francis was one of the NBA's more popular players. But after five solid seasons with Houston, he was traded for Tracy McGrady. Tendintis in his right knee robbed him of his trademark explosiveness and little by little his game began to slip. He was also almost always disgruntled with either coaches or the front office and it translated onto the floor. Francis was out of the league after nine seasons.

Career years: (1997-2009)
Team(s): Timberwolves, Nets, Suns, Knicks, Celtics
Career stats: 19.3 ppg, 7.6 apg, 3 rpg, 1.2 spg
Accolades: 2x NBA All-Star (2001, 2003), 2x All-NBA (2000, 2003), NBA All-Rookie First Team (1997)
Reason for fall-off: Selfishness

Marbury cared more about his stats than he did about winning. Once he would get his eight to ten assists he wouldn't pass the ball for the rest of the night. That's not a good trait for a point guard. At one point, he and Oscar Robertson were the only players to average 20 points and eight assists for their career. He was drafted by the Timberwolves to play alongside Kevin Garnett. However, he became unhappy after Garnett signed a monster six-year, $126 million contract extension in 1998. Marbury wanted the same deal but instead he was traded to the Nets in a three team deal involving the Bucks for Terrell Brandon.

He then played for several other teams, including his hometown Knicks. His time in New York was supposed to be a great one, but he bumped heads with Isiah Thomas over the famous sexual harrassment case and was eventually let go. Every team that he left got better. But at least he can call himself a champion in China.

Career years: (1998-2006)
Team(s): Nets, 76ers, Knicks, Bucks, Mavericks
Career stats: 16 ppg, 1.6 apg, 6.8 rpg
Accolades: NBA All-Rookie First Team (1998)
Reason for fall-off: Boredom

Keith Van Horn just got tired of basketball. After taking a year off after the 2006 season to spend time with his family, he never played another NBA game. During his career, Van Horn was viewed by fans as soft. He had an All-Star level offensive game but would disappear when it mattered most. The former Utah Utes star that led them to a magical Elite 8 finish in 1997 was out of the NBA after only nine seasons. Thankfully it was on his own terms.

Career years: (1992-2002)
Team(s): Cavaliers, Bucks, Timberwolves
Career stats: 13.8 ppg, 6.1 apg, 3 rpg, 1.6 spg
Accolades: 2x NBA All-Star (1996-1997)
Reason for fall-off: Injuries

There was time when one could say Terrell Brandon was one of the best point guards in the NBA. From 1996-1999 he averaged 18 PPG and 7 APG. When he was healthy, Brandon made other guards look silly. He got into the lane at will and wasn't selfish. However, his knee problems, contract and skill-level made him trade bait. He was traded to Miluakee in the deal that brought Shawn Kemp to Cleveland and then was dealt to Minnesota in the deal that sent Stephon Marbury to the Nets. Once his knees finally went during the 2002 season, Brandon called it quits.

Career years: (2000-2012)
Team(s): Hornets, Warriors, Clippers, Cavaliers, Knicks
Career stats: 16.1 ppg, 7.2 apg, 3.8 rpg, 1.8 spg
Accolades: 2x NBA All-Star (2002, 2004), 2x NBA steals leader (2004, 2007), All-NBA (2007)
Reason for fall-off: Injuries

Baron Davis' knees finally gave up on him. He destroyed his right knee in a 2012 playoff game against the Miami Heat. He's had knee problems for the majority of his career but that didn't stop him from being fun to watch. Whether he was dunking on cats or making game-winners, B. Diddy was all about winning. If it weren't for his health, Davis would've definitely made more than two All-Star games. There was a point in his career when he was a Top 10 player.

Career years: (1996-2008)
Team(s): Celtics, Mavericks, Hawks, Heat, Timberwolves
Career stats: 17.5 ppg, 3.5 apg, 7.7 rpg, 1.2 spg
Accolades: NBA champion (2006), 3x NBA All-Star (1998, 2002, 2003), NBA All-Rookie Team (1997)
Reason for fall-off: Lack of interest

Few have fallen as far as Antoine Walker has over the last decade. Back in 1999 Walker signed a $71 million contract with the Celtics and then coach Rick Pitino said "[Walker] will never have to worry about money again in his life." Walker would go on to average 19.9 PPG over the next six seasons but beginning in the 2005-06 season his numbers began to decline (12 PPG and only 19 starts that season). A five-team, 13-player deal in the 2005 offseason sent Walker to Miami where he would win his first and only ring with D-Wade, Shaq, and Co.

His role in South Beach diminished over two seasons as he failed to adjust to becoming a bench player. His average went from .435 in 2005-06 to .363 in 2007-08, his final year in the league. After leaving the league, Walker's troubles would only grow larger. In 2009 he was charged with a DUI and three felony counts of writing bad checks in attempt to pay debts to a Las Vegas casino. He pled guilty to one felony charge avoiding jail time but agreeing to work out a plan to pay back the debt. He blew all of the $110 million he made in his career and last year he was waived by the D-League's Idaho Stampede.

Career years: (2003-Present)
Team(s): Suns, Knicks
Career stats: 21.3 ppg, 1.4 apg, 8.6 rpg, 1.4 bpg
Accolades: NBA Rookie of the Year (2003), 6x NBA All-Star (2005, 2007-2011), 5x All-NBA (2005, 2007-2008, 2010, 2011)
Reason for fall-off: Injuries

We're still rooting for STAT. He's one of the better guys in the league in terms of his attitude and the way he carries himself. But fans don't care about that, we care about results. Amar'e has only put in one good season during his time in New York. There was a reason why the Knicks were the only team to offer Stoudemire all that money. Execs across the league saw this day coming; the day that his knees would fade away into darkness. New York's big free agent signing from the Summer of LeBron is now a bench player. It seems like only yesterday that he was a Top five player, dunking on everything and anything. Let's hope he can keep it together.

Career years: (1994-2005)
Team(s): Pistons, Knicks
Career stats: 17.3 ppg, 2.4 apg, 2.9 rpg
Accolades: 2x NBA All-Star (2000-2001)
Reason for fall-off: Injuries

The Knicks thought they had a star when they gave Allan that $100 million contract in 2001. But they forgot that all he could do was shoot. Houston was allergic to defense and once he injured his knee, it was a wrap. He didn't have the same lift and the sweetest jumper in the league suddenly started rattling off the rim. His contract held the Knicks hostage for years.

Career years: (2002-2012)
Team(s): Warriors, Wizards, Magic, Grizzlies
Career stats: 20.7 ppg, 5.3 apg, 3.9 rpg, 1.6 spg
Accolades: 3x NBA All-Star (2005-2007), NBA Most Improved Player (2003), 3x All-NBA (2005-2007)
Reason for fall-off: Being a clown

It wasn't his knee that did him in, it was the time he decided to bring guns into the Wizards locker room. He played for a couple teams after that but with his knee injury diminishing his skills, he wasn't worth the headache anymore. In his prime, Arenas could score with the best of them. He would catch fire in an instant and there was nothing you could do about. He could still help a couple teams. Too bad he's too much of a clown to care anymore.

Career years: (2000-Present)
Team(s): Clippers, Heat, Lakers, Mavericks
Career stats: 13.3 ppg, 3.7 apg, 8.4 rpg, 0.9 spg, 0.9 bpg
Accolades: 2x NBA champion (2009-2010), NBA Sixth Man of the Year (2011), NBA All-Rookie First Team (2000)
Reason for fall-off: Lack of interest

Is Lamar Odom smoking crack? That's the million dollar question. Since being traded to Dallas by the Lakers, Odom has been M.I.A. Last year with the Clippers, he would show up every once in awhile but he still would disappear. Lamar's desire has always been questioned and now it looks like his NBA career is over. We hope not, because there aren't many players with Odom's talent.

Career years: (1997-2010)
Team(s): 76ers, Nuggets, Pistons, Grizzlies
Career stats: 26.7 ppg, 6.2 apg, 3.7 rpg, 2.2 spg
Accolades: NBA MVP (2001), NBA Rookie of the Year (1997), 11x NBA All-Star (2000-2010), 4x NBA scoring champion (1999, 2001-2002, 2005), 3x NBA steals leader (2001-2003), 7x All-NBA (1999-2003, 2005, 2006)
Reason for fall-off: Refusing to change

The fans still want A.I. Unfortunately, he officialy announced his retirement this summer. While Kobe was the best player in the world, Iverson was the People's Champ. Kind of like Biggie and Pac. However, he was criticized his entire career for his selfish play. But one thing they couldn't criticize was his heart. His shot selection was questionable, but his heart wasn't and that's what the fans loved about him. The NBA changed the dresscode because of him and David Stern ended his brief rap career as Jewelz.

When A.I. signed with the Grizzlies during the 2009 offseason, he had intentions of starting. However, coach Lionel Hollins had different plans which led to this beautiful microcosm of Iverson's career.

Career years: (1998-Present)
Team(s): SuperSonics, Magic, Wizards, Heat
Career stats: 15.5 ppg, 1.7 apg, 5.4 rpg, 1.1 spg
Accolades: NBA Champion (2013), 2x NBA All-Star (2005, 2009)
Reason for fall-off: Lack of interest

Beware of the contract year phenomenon! In 2006-07 Rashard Lewis averaged a career-high 22.4 PPG in his final season with Seattle. The following offseason Lewis agreed to a sign-and-trade deal to Orland that gave him $118 million over six years. He averaged 18 PPG over the next two seasons before beginning to fall off the wagon in 2009-10.

In the seasons since then he's averaged 9 PPG and become a benchwarmer. If there's any silver lining in all of this, it's the fact that Lewis earned his first championship ring as a member of the Miami Heat last season. He averaged 4.5 MPG and 1.5 PPG in their playoff run.

Career years: (1990-2003)
Team(s): SuperSonics, Cavaliers, Trail Blazers, Magic
Career stats: 14.6 ppg, 1.6 apg, 8.4 rpg, 1.1 spg, 1.1 bpg
Accolades: 6x NBA All-Star (1993-1998), 3x All-NBA (1994-1996)
Reason for fall-off: Drugs and alcohol

Over his 14 years in the NBA, most of which were spent with the SuperSonics, Shawn Kemp established himself of one of the games premier bigs. He still remains one of the best dunkers ever and his Youtube highlight reels will bring tears to your eyes. Despite only playing one season with Orlando at the end of his career, during the 2002-03 season, Kemp had lined up what looked to be a promising comeback attempt before the start of the 2005-06 season.

Unfortunately Kemp never showed up for that tryout with the Mavericks, and that chance went by the wayside. To make matters worse, Kemp was arrested in April of 2005 for an investigation of drug possession, a charge Kemp would later plead guilty to. Such a shame.

Career years: (1991-1998); (2001)
Team(s): Nuggets, Kings, Grizzlies
Career stats: 14.6 ppg, 3.5 apg, 1.9 rpg
Accolades: NBA Most Improved Player (1993)
Reason for fall-off: Not standing for the national anthem

Can you imagine being forced to retire for your religious beliefs? That's exactly what happened to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (formally Chris Jackson). Before he refused to stand for "The Star-Spangled Banner," he was a quiet, scoring point guard that was really good at free-throws (90 percent for his career). He could dunk too, which made him a fan favorite. Adbul-Rauf was hard to guard given his small size and speed. But fans and the league looked at him differently once he changed his name and converted to Islam. He feels like his best years were taken away from him.

Career years: (1997-2012)
Team(s): Bullets/Wizards, Magic, Pistons, Bulls, Cavaliers
Career stats: 5.7 ppg, 1.3 apg, 9.6 rpg, 1.3 spg, 2 bpg
Accolades: NBA champion (2004), 4x NBA All-Star (2003-2006), 4x NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2002-2003, 2005-2006), 5x All-NBA (2002-2006), 2x NBA rebounding champion (2002, 2003), 6x All Defense (2002-2007)
Reason for fall-off: Injuries

Ben Wallace came and went. Prior to being a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, Wallace played three uneventful seasons with the Wizards and one with the Magic. During his time in Detroit, though, he was the anchor in the middle for one of the best teams of the 2000s. Larry Brown's Pistons teams were all about teamwork, making it to the Eastern Conference Finals six years in a row between 2003-2008. With no sure-fire stars, Big Ben was the closest.

His defense and rebounding changed the outcome of many a game and he parlayed that into a fat four-year, $60 million deal with the division rival Chicago Bulls. He averaged ten boards in his only year there and was traded half way through his second. Wallace was never the same again, as injuries and age caught up with him. It was fun while it lasted.

Career years: (1947-1956)
Team(s): Chicago Stags, Knicks, Bullets, Hawks, Pistons
Career stats: 13.2 ppg, 2.3 apg, 2.8 rpg
Accolades: 4x All-NBA (1947-1950), NBA All-Star (1952), NBA scoring champion (1948)
Reason for fall-off: More competition

Zaslofsky had a couple records that stood until LeBron and Durant came into the league. Max was the youngest player to ever be named to the All-NBA team in 1947 (broken by LeBron in 2006) and the youngest player to lead the league in scoring in 1948 (broken by Kevin Durant in 2010). But once the BAA merged with NBA, and he was traded from the Chicago Stags to the New York Knicks, Zaslofsky's numbers dipped. Chalk it up to more teams and stiffer competiton.

Career years: (1994-2002)
Team(s): Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, Hawks, Lakers, Nuggets
Career stats: 16.7 ppg, 2.7 apg, 3.8 rpg
Accolades: NBA champion (2001), NBA All-Rookie First Team (1994)
Reason for fall-off: Drugs and a bad attitude

It's hard to believe that a person with J.R. Rider's talent only lasted nine seasons in the NBA. He was a knucklehead his entire basketball career, always putting rash decisions before his future. On the court, Rider was a scoring machine that could chuck it from anywhere on the floor. He was very cocky with ice in his veins and wasn't afraid to tell you about it. Off the court, Rider argued with teammates, coaches, spouses, etc. He had a drug problem as well, and before you know it, he was blackballed from the league. His talent didn't warrant the trouble that came with it. Isaiah could've been great but his over-confidence and invincible attitude betrayed him.

Career years: (1994-2006)
Team(s): Bucks, SuperSonics, Celtics, Knicks, Rockets, Clippers
Career stats: 15 ppg, 1.9 apg, 7.4 rpg, 1 bpg
Accolades: 4x NBA All-Star (1995-1998), 2x All-NBA (1997, 1998)
Reason for fall-off: Alcohol

Vin Baker came into the league hot and began to fizzle out after nine seasons. Over the course of his career, Baker became an alcoholic. He took losses extremely hard and binged on liquor after games. It got to a point where he was going to practice smelling of alcohol and had to be sent home. After Boston Celtic coach Jim O'Brien smelled booze on his starting center, Baker was suspended and then released. During his time in Boston, the former All-Star weighed 300 pounds and was the shell of his former self. Vin lasted only three more seasons.

Career years: (1979-1986)
Team(s): Knicks, Warriors, Nets
Career stats: 14.8 ppg, 7 apg, 5.5 rpg, 2.6 spg
Accolades: 4x NBA All-Star (1980-1982, 1985), 2x All Defense (1980, 1981), NBA assists leader (1980)
Reason for fall-off: Drugs

Dubbed, "The next Walt Frazier" before he was drafted, Micheal Ray was a lockdown defender with a flashy offensive game. He only lasted eight years before being banned for life for substance abuse in 1986. Richardson was reinstated in 1988 but failed another test in '91. He was a fan favorite in New York and New Jersey, and made four All-Star games. Sugar Ray went from being the first player in history to lead the league in assists and steals per game to not being mentioned at all.