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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.
Look, when it comes to NBA trivia and its representation in video games, I can’t get enough! When The BBall Pundit suggested this topic, it required a bit of research, which is always fun. We remember the big names that made returns to the NBA after extended absences – at least two years or more – but there have been other key role players and memorable journeymen that surprised us when they inked new contracts. Perhaps it’s a reminder to never underestimate the intrigue of a young player who still has potential to fulfil, or a capable veteran who can slot right back into a lineup.
In case it isn’t clear, I should note that by returns after extended absences, I’m talking about players who were out of the league entirely. Someone like Klay Thompson, who missed two consecutive seasons due to injury, doesn’t count as he was still on the Warriors’ roster. Comebacks after missing multiple years due to injury is another topic altogether – and there are certainly some interesting examples I could cover – but this is about players who were retired or out of the league and not expected to return. With that being said, let’s take a look back…way back…
Isaac Austin (1996, 2 Seasons, Age 27)
When Isaac Austin signed with the Heat in 1996 and began showing up in recaps and highlights on NBA Action, I mistakenly thought he was a savvy undrafted rookie signing. In fact, Austin had three NBA seasons under his belt, though he was playing in France and Turkey at the time my basketball fanaticism was really taking off. Ike went from benchwarmer to key reserve after spending two years out of the NBA, even winning the Most Improved Player award in 1997. Unfortunately, Austin signed just a couple of weeks too late to appear in that year’s games. He’s on the Heat in NBA Live 98, though Miami actually ended up trading him for Brent Barry at the deadline.
Jordan Crawford (2017, 2 Seasons, Age 28)
Following the “Dunkgate” incident at LeBron James’ camp, and an impressive college career, Jordan Crawford entered the league with plenty of hype. He didn’t quite live up to his own suggestion that he could be better than Michael Jordan, though! After playing for four teams in his first four seasons, Crawford headed to China. He also spent some time in the D-League and made appearances in the NBA Summer League, but wouldn’t officially return to the NBA until the Pelicans signed him in 2017, which led to him being added in roster updates for NBA 2K17. He’s still active, though he continues to have short stints with various teams in Europe, as well as the G League.
David Benoit (2000, 2 Seasons, Age 32)
If you had to name starting small forwards for the Jazz in the 90s, Byron Russell, Tyrone Corbin, Blue Edwards, and maybe Chris Morris, are likely to come to mind. The one you might forget is David Benoit, who was a mainstay on the roster after signing with them in 1991, and started 130 of the 152 regular season games he played for them in the 1995 and 1996 seasons. He lost playing time to Russell and Morris though, and left for New Jersey. After missing the entire 1997 season and splitting the 1998 season between the Nets and Magic, Benoit played two years in Israel before making a surprising return for one last run with the Jazz, as seen in NBA Live 2001.
Dave Cowens (1982, 2 Seasons, Age 34)
As with Bob Cousy’s comeback with the Cincinnati Royals, Dave Cowens‘ stint with the Milwaukee Bucks has no representation in or impact on video games, but it’s too important not to mention. Cowens had retired in 1980, having played through several injuries, and believing the time was right to step aside as the Celtics had just drafted Kevin McHale and traded for Robert Parish. Having retired young at 31, Cowens decided to attempt a comeback in 1982, and asked the Celtics to trade him (again, it was a different time before true free agency). He was sent to the Bucks and played 40 games before an injury ruled him out for the Playoffs, and led to his final retirement.
Charles Shackleford (1999, 3 Seasons, Age 32)
I’m always intrigued by players who had a season or two as regular starters playing decent minutes, but otherwise had short or unremarkable NBA careers; especially if they were in and out of the league. That basically describes Charles Shackleford, who went back and forth between Europe and the NBA, and had two seasons as a starter: one for the Nets, and one for the 76ers. Three years after a brief run with Minnesota, he returned to the NBA in 1999 to play for the Hornets, as seen in NBA Live 99 PC’s official roster update. It’s interesting, as the lockout saw a few players head to Europe, but Shackleford – who sadly passed away in 2017 – instead returned to the NBA.
Alan Anderson (2012, 4 Seasons, Age 29)
The interactive almanac aspect of basketball video games can lead to benchwarmers and long-forgotten role players to stick in your memory. This is even more likely to occur if you worked on any current roster updates, as you would be poring over the lineups and creating missing players. Alan Anderson is one of those players, having debuted in the NBA while I was still very active in making rosters for NBA Live. I left him in the Free Agents Pool after his short stint with the Bobcats ended, but he didn’t return to the real NBA until 2012. He seems to be missing from the final roster update for NBA 2K12, but you can find him on the Toronto Raptors in NBA 2K13.
Andrew Gaze (1999, 4 Seasons, Age 33)
For those who are unaware, Andrew Gaze is a legend in Australian basketball. He holds several NBL records, and represented the country numerous times in Olympic and FIBA World Cup competition. He also had a standout season playing college ball for Seton Hall. Gaze’s NBA career wasn’t as distinguished though, and for many years his brief stint with the Washington Bullets in 1994 was a trivia footnote. However, he had a second NBA run with the Spurs in 1999, though once again he didn’t see much court time. Gaze still received a ring as a member of that team, and it also resulted in appearances in NBA Live 99 PC (via the official roster update) and NBA Live 2000.
John Long (1996, 5 Seasons, Age 40)
One of the oldest NBA returns after one of the longest absences, John Long began his career in 1978. He started for the Pistons alongside Isiah Thomas before Joe Dumars arrived, and was part of the 1989 championship team. After leaving the NBA in 1991, he was still active in France and the CBA, as well as touring with Magic Johnson’s All-Stars. In 1996, Thomas – now the Raptors’ GM – signed his old teammate for one final season. He isn’t in any 1997 season titles, but is on the Raptors in NBA Live 98. Technically, he’s the final player from the 70s who was still active in games, though unlike Robert Parish in NBA Live 97, he was a holdover and retired by that point.
Victor Alexander (2001, 5½ Seasons, Age 32)
Though Victor Alexander‘s NBA career was short, it produced some interesting trivia. He actually started more than the half of the games he played for Golden State, and had a couple of decent seasons for them. He ended up in Toronto as part of the B.J. Armstrong trade when the latter refused to report after the Expansion Draft, but then never played for them apart from in video games. He was then traded to New York halfway through the 1996 season, and cut before ever playing for them, either. Some 5½ years later, he was signed by the Pistons, as seen in NBA Live 2002. Indeed, that return and his appearance on the Raptors in NBA Live 96 are why I remember him.
Shane Heal (2003, 6 Seasons, Age 33)
I wasn’t sure about including Shane Heal. On one hand, he’s a fellow Aussie and a legitimate example, but on the other hand he wasn’t a star in the NBA, and there isn’t an official representation of this return stint in any games. Still, as far as NBA returns are concerned – after extended absences or otherwise – this is one that seemed highly unlikely, yet came to pass. Heal impressed scouts at the 1996 Olympics, leading to the Timberwolves signing him for the 1997 season. He returned to the NBL after being stuck behind Stephon Marbury and Terry Porter in the rotation all year. As such, it was surprising when he signed with the Spurs for a six game stint, six years later.
That wraps up another list of ten NBA returns that occurred after extended absences. As I said, I enjoy trivia like this as a fan of basketball and basketball video games. While there are obviously some well-known names on these lists, I also like to look into the stories behind lesser-known players as well, since their comebacks don’t receive nearly as much fanfare. Reaching the NBA in the first place is a tremendous achievement, but many careers are short, so any player that returns after an extended absence has demonstrated hard work and resilience. It’s always fun when familiar names pop up again in real life, leading to another virtual hardwood appearance.
