How 4 once dominant NBA stars became journeymen
By Cal Durrett
The NBA, maybe more than any other league, is star-driven. So much so, that fans of the NBA are often more attached to a specific player than a specific team. Sure, there are franchises, like the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Boston Celtics, that are brands unto themselves, but the NBA would be in serious trouble with a lack of star power.
Fortunately, that definitely isn’t the case now. Not only are players playing longer, and at higher levels, but there has also been a major influx of talent in recent drafts. That’s great for the NBA since new stars emerge every year and join the existing ones in the sky, I mean, in the league. On the other hand, some stars fade.
That’s to be expected since some players age differently than others, suffer significant injuries, or see their careers derailed in other ways. In fact, there are several multi-time All-Stars who have seen their status change suddenly after once being among the best players in the NBA just a few years ago. They’re all role players now, and each remains unsigned in free agency. With that in mind, let’s take a look at three NBA All-Stars turned journeymen.
NBA Journeymen #1: Derrick Rose
Despite winning the MVP in 2011 and being a three-time NBA All-Star, Derrick Rose leads off this list. That’s too bad because he was a great player before he tore his ACL in the 2012 playoffs. He then missed the 2012-13 season rehabbing his injury and played just 10 games the year after due to another injury.
When Rose was finally healthy again, he wasn’t nearly the player he was before and was eventually dealt to the New York Knicks. He’s since played for four more teams and is now, ironically, back with the Knicks.
To Rose’s credit, he’s managed to have a solid second act. He definitely isn’t an MVP-caliber player at this point, but he’s still a capable offensive guard. Just last season, he averaged 12 points and 4 assists in only 24.5 minutes a game. His career hasn’t gone according to plan, but he’s at least extended it by becoming a useful role player.