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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 some more NBA players that made returns after extended absences from the league.
The time has come to profile another group of players that made returns to the NBA after several years, and the video games that reflected those comebacks. Well, for the most part. Some of these NBA returns occurred after the rosters were finalised, and thus the players appeared in the following year’s games, usually after their comeback run had concluded. And, while it’s probably giving away one of the examples, at least one of them occurred long before video games, thus it has no official representation on the virtual hardwood.
Because my aim is to revisit these moments in NBA history through the lens of video games, I was originally on the fence about including such examples. However, there are good stories and interesting trivia to share, and for the most part, I’m adhering to the original aim. Once again, credit to The BBall Pundit on Twitter for suggesting this topic! Let’s take a look back…way back…
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (2000, 2 Seasons, Age 31)
A great shooter who would thrive in today’s NBA, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf is often cited as a player who was blackballed for his beliefs. Born Chris Jackson, Abdul-Rauf converted to Islam in 1991, changing his name in 1993. In 1996, his sixth season in Denver after being drafted by the Nuggets, he encountered controversy after refusing to stand for the national anthem. He was traded to the Kings in the offseason, before briefly playing in Turkey. The 1998 lockout was a factor there, but despite still being young and a capable player, he didn’t draw much interest thereafter. He had a brief return with the Grizzlies in their final year in Vancouver, as seen in NBA Live 2001.
Olden Polynice (2003, 2 Seasons, Age 39)
Although he’s perhaps best known as the player the Bulls traded for Scottie Pippen on Draft Day 1987, Olden Polynice had a solid NBA career. At the age of 36 in 2001, he was still a regular starter for the Utah Jazz, so it didn’t feel like was being put out to pasture. Nevertheless, he spent the next two seasons playing in the ABA and CBA, before signing with the Clippers in August 2003. It was too late for inclusion in the 2004 season titles though, and he only played in two games before being released in February. Polynice is in the Free Agents Pool in NBA Live 2005, though there would be no further NBA returns as he finished his career playing in the minor leagues.
Jonathan Bender (2009, 3 Seasons, Age 29)
Toronto drafted Jonathan Bender with the fifth pick in 1999, an era in which selecting players out of high school was very much in vogue. They ended up trading him to the Pacers, where he had the distinction of becoming the first high school draftee to score in double digits in his debut. Unfortunately, by Bender’s fourth season, persistent knee injuries were already derailing his career. He was released in 2006, having already been labelled a bust by many pundits. After sitting out three seasons, he signed with the New York Knicks in 2009, as seen in roster updates for NBA Live 10. Despite an offer to return for the 2011 season, Bender opted to retire to pursue other ventures.
James White (2012, 3 Seasons, Age 30)
Nicknamed “Flight”, James White was pegged as a future Slam Dunk King when he was drafted in 2006. However, it wasn’t until he’d been out of the NBA for a few seasons that he’d even have a chance to compete for that crown. A second round pick of the Blazers, he was traded to the Pacers before being cut. He signed with the Spurs and spent most of the year in the D-League, but still received a championship ring. After playing in Turkey in 2008, he played four games for the Rockets in 2009. He then headed back to Europe before joining the Knicks in 2012, where he took part in the 2013 Slam Dunk Contest. NBA 2K13 features his best (and final) NBA stint.
Anthony Miller (2004, 3 Seasons, Age 33)
Though there have been some big names that made NBA returns following extended absences from the league, many of the examples are role players. If you’re a keen NBA fan and gamer, you’ll probably still recognise their names. With that being said, Anthony Miller is one of the more obscure examples. He only played in 181 games, and never more than 46 in a single season. Mind you, he did have a cameo in the original Space Jam! After his NBA career fizzled, Miller played three years in the CBA before the Hawks briefly brought him back in 2004. Similar to Olden Polynice, he was in NBA Live 06 a year too late, and erroneously used Andre Miller’s face.
Rafael Addison (1991, 4 Seasons, Age 27)
Speaking of role players and basketball video games, poring over the rosters in NBA Live 95 and 96 PC contributed to Rafael Addison becoming a name that sticks in my mind. His presence on the Pistons in NBA Live 95 PC actually represented a return to the NBA after a year playing overseas, but that wasn’t his longest absence. Drafted by the Suns in the second round in 1986, Addison played 62 games as a rookie (including 15 starts), but then played the next four years in Italy. He returned to play a couple of seasons for the New Jersey Nets, a stint that was reflected on the virtual hardwood. His 1991 return is included in Bulls vs Blazers, one of NBA Live’s forerunners.
Stojko Vrankovic (1996, 4 Seasons, Age 33)
In 1996, Minnesota Timberwolves GM Kevin McHale signed Stojko Vrankovic: a Croatian big man who won a silver medal as a member of the squad that lost to the Dream Team in 1992, and a star in the Greek league. However, Vrankovic wasn’t just an international star that McHale scouted; he’d been a teammate of his in Boston for a couple of years in the early 90s! Vrankovic didn’t see much court time in that stint, but was lured back to the NBA by McHale, and had a couple of decent years as a regular starter. He signed with Minnesota too late to appear in 1997 titles, but can be found in the rosters of NBA Live 98, by which point he’d been traded to the Clippers.
Oliver Miller (2003, 4 Seasons, Age 33)
Officially listed as the heftiest player in NBA history, Oliver Miller was nevertheless a talented big man. Originally drafted by the Suns, his best year came as a member of the Toronto Raptors during their inaugural season. After returning to Phoenix for the 2000 season following stints with the Mavericks and Kings, Miller split the next four years between Europe and the CBA, with a brief Harlem Globetrotters stint that ended with a very acrimonious split. In December 2003, he returned to the NBA to play 48 games for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Like Olden Polynice and Anthony Miller, it was too late for inclusion in that year’s games, but he’s in NBA Live 2005’s rosters.
Thurl Bailey (1999, 4 Seasons, Age 37)
After being a starter for most of his first two seasons with the Utah Jazz, Thurl Bailey became a reserve following the arrival of Karl Malone. He remained a reliable sixth man for the team for several years, until he was traded to Minnesota in 1991. Bailey left the NBA after the 1994 season, spending the next four years in Greece and Italy. He returned for one last NBA season at the age of 37, signing on with the Jazz for a second stint. Bailey was added to NBA Live 99 PC in the official roster update. As such, we have official representation of a stint that is an example of both one of the longest absences before NBA returns, and a familiar face returning to a familiar place!
Sergio Rodriguez (2016, 6 Seasons, Age 30)
Considering that the NBA has grown obsessed with youth to the point of phasing out veterans before their time is up, you might not expect too many players to make NBA returns after they hit 30. Sergio Rodriguez did just that in 2016, though. Rodriguez made his professional debut in his native Spain, before entering the NBA in 2006 as a 20 year old rookie. He clashed with then-Portland coach Nate McMillan before being traded to Sacramento and then New York, and ultimately returned to Spain in 2010. His age and previous NBA experience made his return a surprise, but Rodriguez was solid for the 76ers in the midst of trusting the process. It’s a stint seen in NBA 2K17.
Bob Cousy (1969, 6 Seasons, Age 41)
I actually found out about this while playing the trivia game in Microsoft Complete NBA Basketball. I was surprised to discover that Bob Cousy didn’t end his career with the Boston Celtics, but with the Cincinnati Royals! Cousy was their coach, a gig he later stated he took for the money. His return to action was also financially motivated, as it was hoped it would sell some tickets. Since the Celtics still held his rights as a player – things were different then – the Royals ended up sending them Bill Dinwiddie as compensation. Cousy’s return was brief and unspectacular – a far cry from MJ on the Wizards – though it contributed to a memorable game in New York Knicks’ lore.
Whether they’re big names, well-known role players, or even journeymen who stick in your memory, these NBA returns after extended absences are fun to see in real life, and on the virtual hardwood. While they’re not always glamorous or highly successful stints, they’re nevertheless interesting footnotes in NBA history; particularly returns such as Bob Cousy’s. It’s always big news when someone you don’t expect to ever play in the NBA again signs on once more, leading to their inclusion in a new game, or perhaps their addition in official and unofficial roster updates alike. When you revisit old favourites, these NBA returns are another thing that you’re reminded of.
