NBA History: 25 former NBA stars you forgot dominated the league
By Cal Durrett
15) Kiki Vandeweghe
Former NBA star Kiki Vandeweghe was known as a terrific scorer throughout the 1980s, averaging nearly 25 points per game on a stellar 54.2% field goal shooting from 1981–82 to 1987–88 for the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers. That six-year run saw him make the all-star team twice but his time as a top-tier scorer was relatively short-lived.
He played just 45 and 22 games in 1988–89 and 1989–90, and after a bounce-back season with the New York Knicks, he quickly became a backup small forward after a back injury and later retired at the age of 34.
Had it not been for injuries, he would have easily eclipsed 20,000 career points. But instead, she finished with almost 16,000 points—well above-average but not all-time great. That kept him from being remembered as an all-time great scorer and he is probably remembered more for being the executive and general manager of the Nuggets.
He drafted Carmelo Anthony and helped build a perennial playoff team. He later became a coach and worked for the NBA, keeping his name relevant but ironically far less for his strong play.