Player that peaked early/late

[cos88]

who do you have?

chris paul 08 season at 22 years old
tyreke evans ( so far ) his rookie season 10 season at 20 years old


late, of course karl malone if you consider his 98 season as his peak, at 34 years old.

other guys, who do you got?

[JohnnySic]

Some say Hakeem peaked late when he won his titles. I dunno, he was pretty damn good before that...

[knickballer]

Chris Paul and Malone are bad examples as they are elite players.

Best example to mind is Steve Nash who turned from a good PG to a 2x MVP winner and now a HOF'er.

Tyson Chandler also became a premier big in the league after a disappointing start to his career.

Edit: Kirk Hinrich peaked really early. Was a very good PG then he just fell off hard

[Sarcastic]

Blake Griffin

[Charlie Sheen]

Blake Griffin
Amar'e Stoudemire

[Sarcastic]

Amar'e Stoudemire

No he got better then he got hurt. Learn to read.

[tazb]

Derrick Rose 2011.

[Magic 32]

Peaked or finally had a good team?

And I don't think that Utah (using Malone and Stockton as an example) would make it to the finals if the late 90's was as competitive as the early 90's.

[Charlie Sheen]

No he got better then he got hurt. Learn to read.

Hey, dipshit. Where is "injury" written in the op? He peaked early in Phoenix. Stay bitter knick fan.

[unknowns8]

grant hill peaked early but his career stuttered and stalled a LOT thanks to knee injuries and it wasnt til very late in his career that he was able to string an impressive amount of games together

[TheReturn]

Are we just gonna list injured players..? Amar'e, Rose, Grant Hill.

[cos88]

how about dwight howard 09 season ( i for one consider this his peak ) the year magic played in the finals. he was 23.

[Jameerthefear]

how about dwight howard 09 season ( i for one consider this his peak ) the year magic played in the finals. he was 23.
I'd say 2011 was his peak.
Tyson Chandler peaked pretty late.

[Inactive]

how about dwight howard 09 season ( i for one consider this his peak ) the year magic played in the finals. he was 23.Dwight's best year was 2011. You're confusing Dwight Howard with the Orlando Magic I think. Same thing with Malone.

[Shade8780]

T-Mac was only 23 when he peaked in 2002-03.

[cos88]

Dwight's best year was 2011. You're confusing Dwight Howard with the Orlando Magic I think.


i know most people belive that 11 is his peak, i consider the post season run he and the magic had in 09 to be his peak, he was unstoppable in the cavs series.

i'm a fan of post season performance rather than RS and first/second round exit. this is way i have wade's peak in 06 rather than 09. but of course i can undestand what you are saying that 11 howard was better.

[chips93]

Blake Griffin

blake has improved as a player. more refined scoring skills, better defensively.

he just plays fewer minutes, and gets less opportunity since he is playing with a better team now.

[Inactive]

i know most people belive that 11 is his peak, i consider the post season run he and the magic had in 09 to be his peak, he was unstoppable in the cavs series.

i'm a fan of post season performance rather than RS and first/second round exit. this is way i have wade's peak in 06 rather than 09. but of course i can undestand what you are saying that 11 howard was better.I can understand considering 06 Wade > 09 Wade despite the regular season numbers, but Howard was more skilled in 11 imo. He was also as dominant as you can be against ATL (except for 1 game).

[LAZERUSS]

There are many players who had their highest scoring, or rebounding, (or both) seasons early in their careers. Whether that is "peaking" or not, is up for debate.

[Done_And_Done]

His best years from a numerical standpoint were with the Warriors...

http://www.slamonline.com/online/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/issue-36-sprewell-307x419.jpg

[Sarcastic]

Hey, dipshit. Where is "injury" written in the op? He peaked early in Phoenix. Stay bitter knick fan.


His best statistical year was his first year in NY, fakkit.

[Xiao Yao You]

Joe Smith, Jim Jackson

[L.Kizzle]

Walt Bellamy peaked early

Sam Cassell peaked late

Andre Miller never peaked. Maybe the mos consistent player ever.

[Xiao Yao You]

Rickey Green, The Glove, Billups late

[Flagrant 2]

nash

[Xiao Yao You]

Matt Barnezs, Anthony Parker late

[Noyze]

Anthony Mason

[FKAri]

His best years from a numerical standpoint were with the Warriors...

http://www.slamonline.com/online/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/issue-36-sprewell-307x419.jpg

I guess MJ peaked in the 80s then...

[LAZERUSS]

I personally believe that Kareem peaked in his second NBA season, in what would be a 20 year career.

[Magic 32]

I personally believe that Kareem peaked in his second NBA season, in what would be a 20 year career.

I think he was better in 1980. His playoff run was amazing.

[LAZERUSS]

I think he was better in 1980. His playoff run was amazing.

No question that KAJ was great for the majority of his 20 year career. But if you look at the entire package, a 24-25-26 year old KAJ had his greatest season in '70-71, with 71-72 right behind. He was not only at his scoring peak, even his efficiency was at it's peak. He shot .577 from the field in '71, in an NBA that shot .449 overall...or a career high differential of +.128. His rebounding was near his best, 16 rpg in 40.3 mpg, and in a league filled with exceptional rebounders. And he anchored the best defense in the league in '71 and '72, as well.

His regular season + post-season play was also at an all-time high. Fans forget that in his '71 post-season, he battled Thurmond, Wilt, and then Unseld in his three playoff series, and played reasonably well in all of them. In fact, his Finals numbers, in only four games, of 27.0 ppg, 18.5 rpg, and .605 shooting from the floor, is often overlooked in these discussions of all-time Finals' performances.

[Magic 32]

No question that KAJ was great for the majority of his 20 year career. But if you look at the entire package, a 24-25-26 year old KAJ had his greatest season in '70-71, with 71-72 right behind. He was not only at his scoring peak, even his efficiency was at it's peak. He shot .577 from the field in '71, in an NBA that shot .449 overall...or a career high differential of +.128. His rebounding was near his best, 16 rpg in 40.3 mpg, and in a league filled with exceptional rebounders. And he anchored the best defense in the league in '71 and '72, as well.

His regular season + post-season play was also at an all-time high. Fans forget that in his '71 post-season, he battled Thurmond, Wilt, and then Unseld in his three playoff series, and played reasonably well in all of them. In fact, his Finals numbers, in only four games, of 27.0 ppg, 18.5 rpg, and .605 shooting from the floor, is often overlooked in these discussions of all-time Finals' performances.

Need to see more footage from 71 perhaps. But he was badass epic in 80.

[Wally450]

Not a huge superstar, but Courtney Lee's rookie year is his best to date.

Also, Linsanity.

[Heavincent]

Also, Linsanity.

Month long peak :oldlol:

[salwan]

the right answer is Ben Wallace.

[MMKM]

DARIUS EFFING MILES bitches.

[andremiller07]

Jimmer he peaked in college
Chuck Hayes peaked fairly late in his career to

[WayOfWade]

Jimmer he peaked in college
While that may be true, the Kings never give/gave him playing time to really grow and prove himself.

[SamuraiSWISH]

While that may be true, the Kings never give/gave him playing time to really grow and prove himself.
Or reality, which reveals his game just fits the college / european type game much more than the hyper athletic world of the NBA.

[Marchesk]

Sam Bowie, 1984 draft.

[che guevara]

Peaked early: T-Mac (age 23), CP3 (age 22), McAdoo (age 22 or 23), Kevin Johnson (age 23 or 24),

Peaked late: Nash (age 33), Karl Malone (age 34), Hakeem (age 31), Dominique (age 33)



grant hill peaked early but his career stuttered and stalled a LOT thanks to knee injuries and it wasnt til very late in his career that he was able to string an impressive amount of games together
Grant Hill got injured when he was 28, he was who he was at that point. If he got better at all after that, it would only be an extremely minor improvement.


i know most people belive that 11 is his peak, i consider the post season run he and the magic had in 09 to be his peak, he was unstoppable in the cavs series.

i'm a fan of post season performance rather than RS and first/second round exit. this is way i have wade's peak in 06 rather than 09. but of course i can undestand what you are saying that 11 howard was better.
The only reason Dwight was better in the '09 playoffs was because he was feasting on crappy big men (Dalembert and 865 year old Theo Ratliff in the first round, Perkins in the 2nd round, Big Z in ECF). He also shot 70% from the line in the ECF that year, which is obviously a complete fluke. Once he got the Finals and finally had to play a good frontcourt, he fell back to earth.


I personally believe that Kareem peaked in his second NBA season, in what would be a 20 year career.
Uh, no. The pre-ABA merger period was one of the weakest in NBA history. He was clearly better in '77, that was his best playoff run, and he did it against good competition (Rick Barry's Warriors with Parish at Center in the first round, Bill Walton's Blazers in the 2nd round). '77 Kareem was flat out a better player than he was in '71 - more skilled in every aspect, had added moves (he had a turnaround jumper over his right shoulder by '77 as a counter to defenders overplaying his sky hook, which was a move he didn't have in '71) and was stronger (he was about 25 pounds heavier by '77, and early in his career was noted to have trouble defending bigger, stronger players). I'd like to see his FG% game by game in the '71 playoffs, I suspect it was poor against Thurmond and Wilt, while very good against Unseld (who was way too short and gravity bound to dream about contesting Kareem's shots). Kareem only managed 51.5% FG for the '71 playoffs.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Early
2008 CP3 (22 years old)
1996 Juwan Howard (23 years old)
2003 T-Mac (23 years old)
1975 Bob McAdoo (23 years old)
2001 Vince Carter (24 years old)
2004 Jermaine O'Neal (25 years old)
1964 Oscar Robertson (25 years old)
2011 Dwight (25 years old)
2001 Iverson (25 years old)


Late
1994 Hakeem (31 years old)
2003 Allan Houston (31 years old)
2007 Nash (33 years old)
1993 Nique (33 years old)
2004 Sam Cassell (34 years old)
1998 Malone (34 years old)

Of course in most of the early peaks, injuries were a significant factor. Will try to think of more. I left out players for early peaks who suffered serious career-altering injuries before 26 years old such as Bill Walton, Penny Hardaway, Brandon Roy ect.


grant hill peaked early but his career stuttered and stalled a LOT thanks to knee injuries and it wasnt til very late in his career that he was able to string an impressive amount of games together

Eh, 27 isn't really early. Most players peak around 27-28.


i know most people belive that 11 is his peak, i consider the post season run he and the magic had in 09 to be his peak, he was unstoppable in the cavs series.

i'm a fan of post season performance rather than RS and first/second round exit. this is way i have wade's peak in 06 rather than 09. but of course i can undestand what you are saying that 11 howard was better.

If you really break down their games in these seasons, I don't see a way to argue against 2011 for Dwight. He was significantly more consistent offensively and more skilled in addition to remaining just as dominant defensively while doing a much better job avoiding foul trouble.

He happened to have much more help in 2009 than 2011. I don't see any reason why 2011 Dwight wouldn't have done at least as well on the 2009 team. In fact, I'd expect a significantly better playoff run.

Same thing with Wade. He was clearly a better player in 2009 than 2006. Unfortunately, he was on a terrible team. But he easily had his best mid-range shooting season in '09 which enabled him to mix up his game and play under control more resulting in fewer turnovers. He also played better defense and gave effort more consistently at that end than any other year in his career.

[PickernRoller]

A lot of my picks already mentioned.

Mo Williams hasn't been mentioned.

[CelticBaller]

Okafor

[Jakeh008]

Collison averaged 48.5% 18.8 3.5 9.1 as a starter for 37 games his rookie season

[Rockets(T-mac)]

Damon Stoudamire peaked pretty early.

[MastaKilla]

Steve Nash peaked late, Damon stoudamire peaked early.

[che guevara]

Steve Nash peaked late, Damon stoudamire peaked early.
In Damon's case, it had a lot more to do with the fact that teams realized he wasn't good in a high usage, ball dominant role. He was getting 17 shots a game in Toronto and had the ball in his hands most of the time, but once he left he only got 12 shots and didn't handle the ball nearly as much.

[dirkdiggler41]

Billups
Big Z (because of injuries)
Marcus Camby - even though he had a very consist numbers over the years.
Dennis Rodman - At age 29 he grabbed 12,5 rpg, and at age 30 he was at 18,7 rpg, with more minutes of course.
Bruce Bowen - Came in late, got notice as a defender when he started to play with the Spurs at age 30.


Not late late, but sudden change in minutes and FG%:
Roger Mason (Suddenly a good player at 27-28)
Steve Novak (28-29)


Andre Miller at 33, scored a career high 52 points against Dallas. Ben Wallace was never a scorer, but he had 25 points when he was 35 and that was his career high.

[ShaqAttack3234]

In Damon's case, it had a lot more to do with the fact that teams realized he wasn't good in a high usage, ball dominant role. He was getting 17 shots a game in Toronto and had the ball in his hands most of the time, but once he left he only got 12 shots and didn't handle the ball nearly as much.

Yeah, going from a bad expansion team like the Raptors to a really stacked Blazer team was obviously the big factor with Damon.


Billups
Big Z (because of injuries)
Marcus Camby - even though he had a very consist numbers over the years.
Dennis Rodman - At age 29 he grabbed 12,5 rpg, and at age 30 he was at 18,7 rpg, with more minutes of course.
Bruce Bowen - Came in late, got notice as a defender when he started to play with the Spurs at age 30..

Good calls on Camby and Bowen.

Rodman is pretty borderline. 30 isn't that late for a peak, a little later than most, but still usually prime age for players.

Billups was only 29 during his peak season in 2006, so I wouldn't include him.