Here are my picks of former NBA players who I want to see lace ’em up one last time.
Two years ago one of the most iconic rappers of all time, Ice Cube, threw basketball fans a major-league curveball. He announced The BIG 3 Tournament.
The BIG 3, a yearly event, keeps basketball fans interested during the summer months. Casual and hardcore basketball fans don’t have a lot of summer options outside of the WNBA.
Ice Cube fixed that problem. With the NBA Finals series ending around mid-June and the BIG 3 tournament starting around that time (and going until late August), that gives fans an almost 365-day cycle of pro basketball.
And, unlike other summer operations–like the Drew League in California and the Dyckman in New York City–the Big 3 doesn’t go with young players. Instead, NBA-retirees take the court. With a “one last time” narrative, basketball fans can watch NBA heroes–even though they’re all past their prime.
Here are the former NBA greats that I’d like to see play next year.
Andrei Kirilenko
Andrei Kirilenko, who has the best nickname of all time, AK47–is (in my opinion) one of the most underappreciated players of his era. During the early-to-mid-2000s, guys like Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan took up most of the media’s attention. But Kirilenko was also doing his thing–even if it was in the small market of Minnesota.
He was a pioneer of the 3-and-D style of play–a style that’s relevant in today’s NBA. At 6’9” and 220 pounds, he was able to guard both forward positions. For that, Kirilenko was named to the all-defensive second team (2003-2005) and he made the first team, too (2006). Statistics-wise, he led the NBA in blocks (2005-2006) and also led the league in blocks per game (2004-2005).
Here’s a clip of how versatile Kirilenko was during his playing days.
Gilbert Arenas
Gilbert Arenas–sometimes referred to as ‘Agent 0’–is one of the most ‘not talked about players‘ of the 21st century. He put up Hall of Fame-type numbers, but his legacy was diminished by one incident–when Arenas brought a whopping four guns to the Wizards locker room to settle a dispute with Wizards’ guard Javaris Crittenton.
On the court, Arenas was the Russell Westbrook of his time–with the same explosiveness we see today from the OKC guard. Between 2005 to 2007, Arenas averaged a historic stat line of 27.7 points and 5.7 assists, while shooting close to seven threes a game and hitting at a 37% clip.
But for Arenas, infamy followed, not the Naismith Hall of Fame.
One quote explains it all: “Hey, [expletive], come pick one,” Gilbert told Javaris while pointing to the weapons. “I’m going to shoot your [expletive] with one of these.” (From Caron Butler’s memoir, Tuff Juice: My Journey from the Streets to the NBA)
NBA Commissioner David Stern didn’t want fans to think that Arenas’ action represented normality in the NBA. The best way to do that, he thought, was to keep Arenas’ name out of the public eye.
But many fans–and I’m one of them–believe Arenas deserves a second chance. That’s why I think it makes perfect sense for him to join the BIG 3 next season.
Roy Hibbert
Just five years ago, Hibbert was regarded as one of best–if not the best–defensive big man in the NBA.
In 2014, Hibbert helped a young and upcoming Pacers’ team–led by Paul George–to the Eastern Conference Finals. Even though the Pacers lost that series to the Heat, it made the Pacers relevant in the NBA and Hibbert finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
For his efforts, Hibbert became a recognized figure among NBA fans.
But, then–with a snap of the finger–Hibbert transitioned from glamour to oblivion. He suffered multiple lower-body injuries and the Pacers traded him to Lakers. Hibbert didn’t make it in LA and then shuffled off to Charlotte, then, Denver. He retired at the ripe old age of 31.
If only Hibbert had played in the ’80s or ’90s he would have been a major NBA contributor. Back then, a shot-blocking big man was a critical need in offensive and defensive schemes. But today’s space-and-pace play exposed Hibbert’s flaws–he’s slow-footed and has no outside shot.
He wouldn’t face those problems in the BIG 3 because he’d be going up against slower opponents who are past their primes.
I’d love to see Hibbert end his career on a high note.
