Every year, NBA royalty disappears from the league for good. More often than not, that happens quietly. But that was not the case in 2016, when Kobe Bryant went out with a Hollywood ending by scoring 60 points in a widely expected final game against the Utah Jazz.
Kobe was not the only big-time NBA legend to finish their career that season, as Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett left the game that year too. All in all, the players who retired from the NBA that season combined for 71 All-Star appearances, which makes it easily the most decorated retirement class in league history.
How do other retirement classes compare to 2016? You can see for yourself below. (We start with 2022 because we’re not sure some of the 2023 guys like John Wall or Victor Oladipo are 100 percent done with the league).
