Wayback Wednesday: Notable Names in the Free Agents Pool

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m taking a look back at players who ended up being notable names in the free agents pool in video games.

In a previous article, I mentioned that a number of future Hall of Fame players and other notable names have appeared in the free agents pool in various titles. Needless to say, they stand out among the selection of veteran journeymen and other far less prominent players. It was undoubtedly weird to see those all-time greats, multi-time all-stars, and other notable mainstays in the league languishing in the free agents pool. Once again though, they facilitated countless roster projects. Of course, it also led to some strange sights when CPU teams picked them up in franchise modes!

Obviously, there are reasons that notable names have occasionally turned up in the free agents pool of video games, particularly towards the end of their careers. Also, because older games came out on different platforms at different times, there were differences in their rosters. As such, not all versions of a game featured the same notable names among their array of unsigned free agents. I can’t pass up a chance to discuss NBA history when there’s a connection to basketball gaming trivia, and there are definitely some interesting stories here. Let’s take a look back…way back…

As I mentioned in my previous feature, NBA Live 2003 marked the first time since NBA Live 97 that a game in the series offered a selection of unsigned players in its default rosters. Whereas NBA Live 97 only featured a handful of particularly notable names, the free agents pool in NBA Live 2003 boasted some major stars. In the PC version, Hall of Famers Patrick Ewing, Tim Hardaway, Alonzo Mourning, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Mitch Richmond are all unsigned. Other notable names in the free agents include Nick Anderson, Dana Barros, Mookie Blaylock, Danny Manning, and Isaiah Rider; all long-tenured veterans with a few All-Star appearances between them.

NBA Live 2003 came out on PS2 about a month before the PC release, and therefore has earlier 2002 offseason rosters. Alonzo Mourning is still in Miami, while Hakeem Olajuwon is still in Toronto. Additionally, Shawn Kemp is a free agent on PS2, but had signed with Orlando as the PC version’s rosters were being finalised. Meanwhile, Nick Anderson has a phantom stint with Cleveland on PS2, the result of a Draft day trade. In between the release of the PS2 and PC versions, he was cut and subsequently retired, hence his appearance as a free agent in the latter. Similarly, Mookie Blaylock retired after the PS2 version was released, but is still available as a free agent on PC.

Hakeem Olajuwon’s appearance as one of the notable names in NBA Live 2003’s free agents pool is sadly fitting given the lacklustre end to his Hall of Fame career. As the 2002 offseason reached September, it was obvious that a serious back injury wouldn’t allow The Dream to play again. He actually had two years left on his contract with the Raptors, so even though he was released after the PS2 version came out, Hakeem was able to appear as a free agent on PC. Patrick Ewing had likewise signed a multi-year deal with the Magic in 2001, and while his retirement on September 18th 2002 came in time to remove him from the team on both PS2 and PC, he remained in the game.

Alonzo Mourning was a unique situation, as he actually remained under contract with the Heat through 2003. Unfortunately, his kidney disease sidelined him indefinitely in September 2002, and he ultimately missed the entire season. While this placed him on the inactive list in real life, like other games of the era, NBA Live 2003 wasn’t able to accommodate the injury exception that opened up his roster slot. Zo was therefore placed in the free agents to make room on the Heat for Khalid El-Amin. Ironically, El-Amin was released before he even played a game for Miami, meaning that he should’ve been in the free agents pool with Mourning on the Heat’s inactive roster!

NBA 2K3 replaced the fictional free agents from previous games with a selection of real unsigned players, which included some of the same notable names. As it was released around the same time as NBA Live 2003 PS2, you’ll also find Shawn Kemp, Patrick Ewing, and Mookie Blaylock in its free agents pool. Charles Oakley signed with Washington in time for the move to be reflected in NBA Live 2003 PC, but he’s still on the Bulls on PS2, and a free agent in NBA 2K3. Popeye Jones, Dell Curry, John Starks, Chris Gatling, Voshon Lenard, and Bryon Russell are some other notable names who were free agents in NBA 2K3, and at least one version of NBA Live 2003.

Although his career ended in 2003, Shawn Kemp is there to sign in NBA Live 2004 and ESPN NBA Basketball. Charles Oakley, who had a brief stint with the Rockets late in the 2004 season, is also available. Rod Strickland’s often-forgotten final stints allowed him to be included in games right up to NBA Live 06 and NBA 2K6. Kenny Anderson is a free agent in NBA Live 2004 PS2 and ESPN NBA Basketball, but signed with the Pacers in time for the PC version of the former. Despite retiring in 2002, Dell Curry is still in ESPN NBA Basketball! His former teammate Glen Rice is a free agent in NBA Live 2004 PC, but remained a Rocket in the console versions.

After signing with the Nets in 2003 and retiring after 12 games due to his ongoing kidney problems, Alonzo Mourning made a comeback with New Jersey the next year, before being infamously traded to Toronto, refusing to report, and ultimately finishing the year with the Heat. Seeing as how he wasn’t quite done yet, it’s fortunate that he’s among the free agents in NBA Live 2005! He joins Karl Malone, fresh off his lone season with the Lakers. The Mailman didn’t retire until February 2005 after weighing his options following knee surgery. Horace Grant, Glen Rice, Tyrone Hill, and Kenny Anderson remain available, though Anderson is in Atlanta in NBA Live 2005 PC.

Many of the same notable names were included as free agents in ESPN NBA 2K5, with Shawn Kemp and Danny Manning making surprising appearances as well. I’ve covered the group of retired stars in NBA Live 06 before, and while some of them are still on their previous teams, the rest are unsigned. Interestingly, Reggie Miller – the most notable of those names that also include Vlade Divac, Christian Laettner, and Nick Van Exel – is one of the free agents, even though he announced his retirement during the 2005 season. An early roster cut-off date for the prior gen and PC versions of NBA Live 06 also meant that Damon Stoudamire was still in the free agents pool.

Mighty Mouse would be with the Grizzlies by the time the Xbox 360 version of NBA Live 06 launched, while many of the notable retired names such as Tom Gugliotta and Glenn Robinson were now free agents. However, Reggie Miller was removed. As for NBA 2K6, Michael Finley and Gary Payton were free agents in the sixth gen versions – they were still with their previous teams in NBA Live 06 prior gen – but were added to the Spurs and Heat respectively in the Xbox 360 release. Latrell Sprewell is one of the most notable names in the free agents in all versions of NBA Live 06 and NBA 2K6, having infamously turned down what he felt was an insulting three-year deal.

Over the next few years, a majority of retiring players and unsigned veterans could be found in the free agents, including the aforementioned notable names. NBA Live 08 brought us some new, interesting examples. Dikembe Mutombo and Steve Francis both ended up playing for the Rockets in the 2008 season, but Francis didn’t become a familiar face back in a familiar place until late July, whereas Mt. Mutombo didn’t re-sign until October. As such, they’re both free agents in the default roster of the PS2 and PC releases. Francis is in Houston in the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 version, but Mutombo is still in the free agents, along with Chris Webber and other notable names.

C-Webb and Deke are also free agents in NBA 2K8, though official roster updates later moved them to the Warriors and Rockets respectively. Speaking of which, that brings us to Anderson Varejao. He was a restricted free agent in 2007, and elected not to re-sign. Instead, he signed an offer sheet with the Bobcats on December 4th, which the Cavs matched the very next day. NBA 2K8 kept him in Cleveland, while the PS2 and PC versions of NBA Live 08 placed him in the Free Agents. He was on the Cavs in the default rosters of the 360/PS3 version, with official updates moving him to the free agents, and then finally back to Cleveland when the matter was at last resolved.

Dikembe Mutombo was also a free agent in NBA Live 09 and NBA 2K9, owing to the fact that he didn’t re-sign until December 31st as he’d been considering retirement. Across the various versions of NBA Live 09 and NBA 2K9, notable names in the free agents include Sam Cassell, Jamaal Magloire, Antonio McDyess, Michael Finley, Alonzo Mourning, and Jason Williams, though White Chocolate’s phantom stint with the Clippers is represented in the 360/PS3 version of NBA 2K9 (but not the later PC release). Everyone else was simply unsigned when the rosters of those games were finalised, with Mourning and Cassell retiring during the course of the 2009 season.

The assortment of recently-retired players in NBA Live 10’s free agents pool – notable or otherwise – has been extremely useful in the creation of makeshift retro squads during solo sessions and co-op games with Dee over Parsec. This includes Stephon Marbury, Steve Francis, Jason Williams, and Damon Stoudamire to name just a few. Several active free agents who re-signed with teams or latched on with new clubs during the 2010 season are also available in NBA Live 10. They include Ben Wallace, Glen Davis, Ramon Sessions, Joe Smith, and Theo Ratliff. Jamaal Tinsley, who sat out the entire 2009 season due to a contract dispute, is also there ready to be signed.

Without a doubt however, the most notable of all the names in NBA Live 10’s free agents pool is Allen Iverson. The Answer sits atop the game’s selection of unsigned players, having not yet inked a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies when the rosters were finalised. The official updates would reflect that move and later placed him back in Philadelphia upon his return to the 76ers, but thanks to his inclusion, we were also able to make those signings ourselves. As a side note, it was a shame to see Iverson’s career end so abruptly and unceremoniously, especially as it seemed he still had a bit left in the tank. On the bright side, at least he wasn’t left out of the 2010 season titles!

Unsurprisingly, NBA 2K10 featured many of the same notable names in its selection of free agents, including Iverson. AI is also a free agent in the default rosters of NBA 2K11, along with Stromile Swift, Larry Hughes, and a host of players who hadn’t been active since at least 2008. Over the past 15 years, both NBA 2K and NBA Live – when the latter has actually been released – have continued to provide a pool of free agents that includes recent retirees, as well as players who are expected to play in the upcoming season. Official updates address the absences we once had to fix ourselves, and of course, having notable names in the free agents remains good for modding.

Some of the major players that have remained in the free agents pool of 2010s video games after their careers have drawn to a close include Ray Allen, Steve Nash, Tracy McGrady, Jermaine O’Neal, Andrei Kirilenko, Andrew Bynum, Richard Hamilton, Chris Bosh, Shawn Marion, Zach Randolph, Deron Williams, Manu Ginobili, Gerald Wallace, and Rashard Lewis. Andre Miller, Kenyon Martin, Glen Davis, Ben Gordon, and Jason Richardson aren’t on the level of a few of the aforementioned players, but are other notable free agent holdovers. Emeka Okafor has also remained available despite missing several years due to injury before making a brief comeback in 2018.

It’s also worth mentioning some of the notable names who didn’t remain in the free agents in games following their retirement. Contrary to a false memory that many gamers seem to share, Michael Jordan wasn’t in the free agents in NBA Live 2004; at least in any official rosters. He was indeed in the game, but as a member of the 90s All-Stars, as well as being signable out of the Legends Pool. Similarly, when Kobe Bryant declared “Mamba Out” in 2016, he didn’t appear in NBA 2K17’s selection of free agents. As with MJ in NBA Live 2004 though, Kobe was included in NBA 2K17 as part of the game’s retro content, appearing on both the 1998 and 2004 Lakers.

Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, who also retired in 2016, did not become notable names in the free agents pool either. Neither did Tony Parker when he retired a few years later. It’s interesting that some future Hall of Famers make it into the next game as free agents, while others don’t. I’d speculate that it comes down to differences in their contracts, whether or not they’ve filed their retirement paperwork, and perhaps even requests from the NBA or the players themselves. It may also be a design choice for balance and realism. After all, a retired Manu Ginobili still being available in the free agents pool doesn’t grab as much attention as if MJ and Kobe were there to sign!

Once again, the inclusion of a big selection of free agents, from benchwarmers and veteran journeymen to all-time greats and other notable names, has been incredibly beneficial to franchise gaming and roster modding. It’s saved hours of work and the need to create new assets for retro rosters, and given us some fun franchise scenarios, such as bringing back a veteran for a last run. That’s what I’ve done with Ben Gordon in an NBA Live 16 Dynasty! It’s weird to see Hall of Famers in with all of the other unsigned players, but there are some interesting stories behind those odd appearances, adding to the nostalgia whenever we revisit the rosters in some of our old favourites.

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