Players Whose Reputations Improved Most Mid-Career?

[Roundball_Rock]

It has come up in recent threads that guys like Harden, George have a chance to change the narrative/perception of them with more playoff success in the future. Who would be predecessors who achieved this around halfway through their career?

Dirk seems to be the obvious one. If you go back and look at ISH threads about Dirk prior to the 2011 playoffs you will see him talked about the same way Harden is today. That changed after one playoff run.

What other superstars had this type big, positive turnaround in their reputation/perception?

[ArbitraryWater]

And Dirk was actually late career, more so.

Although Harden is what only like 1 season behind where Dirk was in 2011

[ArbitraryWater]

Harden would definitely absolutely skyrocket to top 20 all time with a chip this year, on top off his galactic production and MVP and many MVP esque seasons.

[scuzzy]

Curry, he didn't become a household name until he was 27yo in 2015-2016


Crazy to think he's already 32 his peak was so short lived

[HBK_Kliq_2]

Jerry West in 1972? Internet wasn't around though but I'm sure he would get killed for the 0-8 finals record.

[ArbitraryWater]

Jerry West in 1972? Internet wasn't around though but I'm sure he would get killed for the 0-8 finals record.

Wasnt like that back then

[Roundball_Rock]

Harden would definitely absolutely skyrocket to top 20 all time with a chip this year, on top off his galactic production and MVP and many MVP esque seasons.

Agreed. He has the most to gain from this year's PO IMO.


Jerry West in 1972? Internet wasn't around though but I'm sure he would get killed for the 0-8 finals record.

For sure if he played today but I don't think it hurt him much back then. He and Oscar were considered the GOAT guards and tied together despite having no chips in the 60's.
If he played today and was 0-8 and then broke through it definitely would get the monkey off his back, though.

[kkb_12]

Steve Nash

[BasedTom]

Curry, he didn't become a household name until he was 27yo in 2015-2016


Crazy to think he's already 32 his peak was so short lived
nah

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/aa/00/70/aa0070fe2fed71701098cb3e0ab9812d.png

[guy]

Clearly Hakeem. Wasn’t considered any better then Robinson, Ewing, Malone, Barkley until after he won.

Shaq deserves a mention. He was getting swept every year and looked like he was going to disappoint and never win. He also only won after Duncan who was obviously younger outplayed him and led his team to a title so it looked like he was the one that was going to takeover the post-Jordan era.

[Roundball_Rock]

Clearly Hakeem. Wasn’t considered any better then Robinson, Ewing, Malone, Barkley until after he won.

Shaq deserves a mention. He was getting swept every year and looked like he was going to disappoint and never win. He also only won after Duncan who was obviously younger outplayed him and led his team to a title so it looked like he was the one that was going to takeover the post-Jordan era.

Good choices.

[houston]

Stephen Curry Westbrook and Derrick Rose was veiwed wayyy better than him than his 2013-2019 made him a legend.

[Stanley Kobrick]

many users back on realgm said stephen curry reached his climax in OKC, i tend to agree. he seemed to have regressed and never returned to that pinnacle however back in 2016

[brooks_thompson]

While I agree that James Harden winning a title would skyrocket him to the next level of respect, I’d argue that he’s already had a significant change in reputation. He was almost universally hated to the point no one would acknowledge that he was really good (even the media left him off All-NBA in 2016 to punish him for coming to camp out of shape, despite him still turning in an amazing season), until he just kept chugging along turning in amazing season after amazing season. Eventually people had no choice to relent and now the consensus seems to be “James Harden is an incredible player even if I hate watching him play” instead of just “I hate watching him play.”

[brooks_thompson]

Also Zach Randolph, but that was more obviously attributable to him completely changing his attitude and fully dedicating himself to the game as a player and as a teammate and leader.

[Phoenix]

Guy mentioned Hakeem who I was thinking of as well.MVP, DPOY, and championships all won after 30 and like he said, he wasnt considered a tier above the Barkleys, Ewings, Malones and Robinsons prior. Plus he was considered a malcontent at one point. Amazing how time washes away all the little details and Hakeem is mostly revered nowadays.

How about KG? Little team success outside of 2004, goes to Boston to team with Pierce and Ray, who also never won anything prior. All three of them had miles at that point and were shaping up to be on the list of great players who never won. We've forgotten that KG was going out in the first round like Tmac for years.

[SouBeachTalents]

Idk about most, but LeBron & Kobe deserve mention. LeBron's Cleveland title was a legacy changing win in a historical result, and Kobe shed the can't win without Shaq label