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Wayback Wednesday: Familiar Faces Back in Familiar Places (Part 7)

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m taking a look back at another ten players that became familiar faces back in familiar places.

We’ve reached the seventh and (for the moment) final instalment of the Familiar Faces Back in Familiar Places series! As a spinoff of the Familiar Faces in Strange Places series of articles, I wanted to match its seven instalments and 70 examples of players with interesting stints. One of the reasons I love compiling these lists is that these stints – both the ones in strange places and back in familiar places – are often forgotten. Of course, sometimes we’d prefer that, as the players were shells of their former selves by that point!

Once again, I’ll note that I’m looking at these examples through the lens of basketball video games. As I’ve explained before, I do this because it fits in with our content as a site about basketball gaming, and because revisiting old games is one way that we’re reminded of the stints that we’ve forgotten. It also makes things more challenging as I’m trying to seek out the most interesting stories, and limit examples to ones that can be found in official rosters. To that point, there are fewer stars in this instalment, but certainly some noteworthy NBA player trivia. Let’s take a look back…way back…

Blue Edwards: Utah Jazz (1995)

Blue Edwards in NBA Live 95

I’m tipping off this list with the first in a trio of players who became familiar faces back in the same familiar place: the Utah Jazz. Blue Edwards has a fun history in basketball video games, as his portrait was erroneously used for Kevin Edwards in the PC version of NBA Jam Tournament Edition. I also remember him as a key player for the Vancouver Grizzlies in their inaugural season, but before that, he played for the Jazz, Bucks, and Celtics. In February 1995, Edwards was traded to the Jazz for Jay Humphries, a deal included in NBA Live 95 PC. The two players had previously been traded for each other in a 1992 Draft Day swap that sent Edwards to Milwaukee.

Greg Ostertag: Utah Jazz (2005-2006)

Familiar Faces Back in Familiar Places: Greg Ostertag, Jazz (NBA Live 06)

While he was far from a superstar or even a borderline All-Star, Greg Ostertag was a fan favourite in Utah. He was a good shot blocker as well, and with his size, played admirable defense against some of the league’s best centres. In that respect, he was similar to Luc Longley, whom he squared off against in two NBA Finals. After nine years with the Jazz he signed with the Kings, only to be sent back to Utah in a five team trade in the 2005 offseason. He’s therefore on the Jazz again in NBA Live 06 and NBA 2K6. Ostertag notably received a standing ovation in his final game in Utah, and also had a brief comeback in the D-League with the Texas Legends in 2011.

David Benoit: Utah Jazz (2000-2001)

David Benoit in NBA Live 2001

Between the eras of Blue Edwards in the early 90s, and Chris Morris and Byron Russell in the mid to late 90s, David Benoit had a brief run as the regular starter at small forward for the Jazz. He signed with the Nets in 1996, only to miss the entire season due to an Achilles injury. Benoit split the 1998 season between New Jersey and Orlando, then left to play in Israel during the lockout and subsequent campaign. He returned to the Jazz in 2000, which also makes him an example of a player who returned following an extended absence. Benoit also played with Yao Ming in China the year before the latter was drafted. His return stint can be seen in NBA Live 2001.

Kendall Gill: Charlotte Hornets (1995-1996)

Familiar Faces Back in Familiar Places: Kendall Gill, Hornets (NBA Live 96)

Thanks to NBA Jam Tournament Edition PC being updated with a couple of deals that went through before the lockout of 1995 came into effect, Kendall Gill’s return to the Hornets had early representation on the virtual hardwood. Aside from that, sim games from the 1996 NBA season – notably NBA Live 96 – feature his second stint in Charlotte. It didn’t last long as he was traded to the Nets, where he played until 2001. Not surprisingly, it’s his first tenure with the Hornets that most fans remember. It no doubt helps that the 1993 Hornets have been a classic team in NBA 2K since their inclusion in NBA 2K12 as part of NBA’s Greatest, where they were MJ’s opponent.

Lance Stephenson: Indiana Pacers (2017-2018, 2022)

Lance Stephenson in NBA 2K18

After riding the bench for most of his first two seasons in Indiana, Lance Stephenson became a starter for the Pacers in his third year. He became a familiar face during the Pacers’ Playoff clashes with LeBron James’ Heat, as Stephenson saw fit to antagonise his future teammate in unique fashion. Before joining forces with his former nemesis though, Stephenson bounced around the league. He signed with the Hornets in 2014 and then played for the Clippers, Grizzlies, Pelicans, and Timberwolves. He returned to the Pacers in 2017, and then again in 2022, initially on a 10-day contract. These return stints can be found in NBA 2K17, NBA 2K18, NBA Live 18, and NBA 2K22.

Tim Thomas: New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls (2008-2009, 2009)

Tim Thomas on the Bulls in NBA Live 09

When it comes to Tim Thomas’ NBA career, his journey is filled with familiar faces and familiar places. First of all, he was traded for Keith Van Horn twice: two days after the 1997 Draft, and then again in 2004 in a three team trade. The Knicks traded him to the Bulls in 2005 in the Eddy Curry deal, though he was released in March 2006. After stints with the Suns and Clippers, Thomas was traded to the Knicks for the second time in November 2008. In February 2009, the Knicks traded him to the Bulls for yet another return stint. Roster updates for NBA Live 09 and NBA 2K9 reflect Tim Thomas donning those familiar uniforms in New York and Chicago.

Dwight Howard: Los Angeles Lakers (2019-2020, 2021)

Familiar Faces Back in Familiar Places: Dwight Howard, Lakers (NBA 2K20)

This isn’t exactly Wayback, but it’s worth noting because this was a reunion that few would’ve expected almost a decade ago. Not only that, but it happened twice! Dwight Howard’s first run with the Los Angeles Lakers didn’t live up to expectations, after the team acquired both him and Steve Nash in the offseason. He departed for the Rockets just a year later, and it seemed both sides were grateful for the split (the Kobe Bryant “soft” reaction GIF says it all). And then, Dwight returned in 2019, becoming part of the 2020 championship squad. After a year in Philadelphia, he signed with the Lakers for another run. NBA 2K20 and NBA 2K22 capture these once-unthinkable returns.

Al Horford: Boston Celtics (2021-2022)

Al Horford in NBA 2K22

The Boston Celtics were reportedly close to landing Kevin Durant in 2016, before the Golden State Warriors made a convincing pitch to the player they’d eliminated in the Western Conference Finals. Boston ended up getting Al Horford instead, and while it wasn’t as big of a move, the Celtics still ended up acquiring a quality player. Horford moved on in 2019, playing one season apiece in Philadelphia and Oklahoma City. The Thunder then traded him to Boston in 2021 in a deal that included Kemba Walker and an exchange of Draft picks. Time will only tell if he’ll also have a farewell tour with the Hawks, but Horford’s return to Beantown can of course be seen in NBA 2K22.

Joe Johnson: Boston Celtics (2021)

Familiar Faces Back in Familiar Places: Joe Johnson, Celtics (NBA 2K22)

Speaking of the Celtics and familiar faces back in familiar places in the 2022 season, they also have another example in Joe Johnson. Out of the league since 2018, Johnson signed a 10-day contract with the Celtics in December 2021, playing just one game. It was his first game in Celtics green since February 2002; the longest span of any of the players who became familiar faces back in familiar places! It only seems appropriate, as his rookie season in Boston retroactively became an example of a familiar face in a strange place. His brief return – which is likely the closest he’ll get to ever playing a full season for the team who drafted him – was added in NBA 2K22’s roster updates.

Avery Johnson: San Antonio Spurs (1992-1993, 1994-2001)

Avery Johnson in NBA Live 95

Let’s change things up to end this. Most of these familiar faces back in familiar places had much shorter stints with teams the second time around, as they were generally at the end of their careers. In contrast, one of Avery Johnson’s returns to the San Antonio Spurs lasted for his entire prime! Johnson originally signed with the Spurs halfway through the 1991 season, and was then cut early in the 1992 campaign. He returned for the 1993 season, played for the Warriors in 1994, and then rejoined the Spurs. Johnson remained a Spur until 2001, helping them to win their first championship in 1999. The PC version of NBA Live 95 features the start of his longest Spurs stint.

And with that, I’m done with the Familiar Faces Back in Familiar Places series, at least for now. I’ve tried to pick the most interesting stories and significant players that people are likely to remember, even if the stints in question have been forgotten or glossed over. I love doing the research for articles like this and exploring NBA trivia via basketball video games, so I hope that it’s been fun for you, too. I won’t rule out any further instalments if other examples present themselves, which they likely will as games grow old and players continue to change teams and return to former clubs. If there’s one thing this series has taught us, it’s that you can indeed go home again!

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