32 players you forgot were once NBA All-Stars

1) David Lee

Former NBA big man David Lee started his career with the New York Knicks during the chaotic Isaiah Thomas era. That era featured a ton of talent but also a ton of egos, which led to an ugly time for Knicks fans. Fortunately, Lee immediately exceeded expectations, given his skill as a roll-man and mid-range shooter.

During the 2007–08 season, Lee averaged a terrific 20.6 points and 11.2 rebounds per game, earning him his first and only All-Star appearance. He later probably signed a 6-year, $60 million contract with the Golden State Warriors, where he continued to put up numbers.

Unfortunately for Lee, that was around the time that the NBA began to embrace advanced stats, and his production began to be discounted by fans and analysts alike. After an injury to Lee opened up playing time for Draymond Green, his time with the team came to an unceremonious end.

He bounced around, playing in Boston, Dallas, and finally San Antonio after spending four seasons in Golden State. While Lee's time at the top of the NBA was relatively short-lived, he remained a useful player for the remainder of his career.

He could both pass, rebound, and finish at the rim with either hand, making him the ideal backup big man. In fact, he was a valuable rotation player on the 2016–17 Spurs, who won 61 games and made it to the Conference Finals.

He later retired after appearing in more than 750 games and averaging 12.6 points and 7.3 rebounds over his 14-year career. Lee may not be Hall of Fame bound but he had a far better career than most 28th overall picks do.