The US media listed the top ten players with the longest interval between returning to the league
10. Joe Johnson - 1,351 days
Reason for leaving the league: No team signed
Last match: 36 years old, 28 May 2018 (1,276th match)
Return: 40 years old, December 21, 2021 (1,277th match)
On September 19, 2019, Johnson tried to return to the league. He signed with the Pistons, but a month later, was dropped by the team. Jean then participated in the BIG3 Championship and won his first title, where he was named MVP.
On December 22, 2021, Johnson signed a 10-day contract with the Boston Celtics, returning to the team that originally selected him. He played that night against the Cavaliers. In that game, he scored his only goal, making him the second player to score both 20 and 40 on the same team after Dirk Nowitzki.
9. Greg Auden - 1,502 days
Reason for leaving the league: a knee injury
Last match: 21 years old, May 12, 2009 (match 82)
Return: 25 years old, January 15, 2014 (83rd match)
After the Blazers signed Auden in 2007, Auden's knee began to suffer injuries, including two micro-fracture surgeries, a broken kneecap, and a fractured left patellar bone. On December 5, 2009, Auden suffered a serious knee injury and was carried off the pitch by two connected stretchers.
After that injury, Oden missed the entire 2010-2011 season due to micro-fracture surgery. This is the third time he has been forced into a truce due to a knee injury. Auden returned to the league in 2014 but retired after playing just 23 games with the Miami Heat.
8. Damien Wilkins - 1,645 days
Reason to leave the league: Playing in an overseas/development league
Last match: 33 years old, 17 April 2013 (563rd match)
Return: 37 years old, October 18, 2017 (564th match)
In the 2012–2013 season, Wilkins played for the Philadelphia 76ers. After a short career end, he joined the Atlanta Hawks in September 2013, but was eventually abandoned. Then he started his international basketball career, which made him play for a long time.
In the 2014 NBA Development League Draft, Wilkins was selected by the Iowa Energy team in 16th place. In 2015, he was named to the All-Star Team for the Development League All-Star Game. In the 2015-2016 season, Wilkins signed with a Venezuelan team, but rejoined the NBA after Michael Kidd Gilchrist was injured. Wilkins was originally planning to sign with the Hornets, but was dropped off two weeks later. A year later, he returned to the league with the Pacers.
7. Magic Johnson - 1,693 days
Reason for leaving the alliance: Retiring from AIDS
Last match: 31 years old, June 12, 1991 (874th match)
Return: 36 years old, January 30, 1996 (875th match)
Johnson performed well during the season, averaging 19.4 points, 12.5 assists and 7.0 rebounds per game. The Lakers reached the NBA Finals and played against the Chicago Bulls. Despite Johnson's two triple-doubles, Michael Jordan won the Finals MVP and led the Bulls to a 4-1 series victory.
After a medical exam before the start of the 1991-1992 season, Johnson was diagnosed with AIDS. He needs to leave the league and fight the disease. Five years later, he gained weight and enjoyed the final season of his career with the Lakers before officially retiring in 1996.
6. Emeka Okafor - 1,757 days
Reason for leaving the league: Neck injury
Last match: 30 years old, 15 April 2013 (590th match)
Return: 35 years old, February 5, 2018 (591st match)
On June 20, 2012, Okafor and Ariza were traded to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Rashad Lewis. Prior to the start of 2013-2014, Okafor was traded to the Suns for Marcin Gottart, Shannon Brown, Kendall Marshall and Malcolm Lee.
Unfortunately, Okaford missed the entire season due to a herniated disc in the neck. For the next three full seasons, he never signed with the team. On 30 May 2017, Okafor was allowed to compete and signed with the 76ers in September. In 2018, he signed with the Pelicans on a 10-day contract and made his debut two days later, scoring three points and two rebounds in 9 minutes.
5. PJ Tucker - 2,069 days
Reason to leave the league: Abandoned by the Raptors and playing overseas
Last match: Age 21, March 3, 2007 (match 17)
Return: 27 years old, October 31, 2012 (18th match)
On March 24, 2007, the Raptors abandoned Tucker to make room for Luke Jackson. Tucker played a total of 83 minutes in his rookie season. He later joined the Cavaliers' 2007 Summer League roster, but was not selected. He then began his overseas basketball career.
He ended his international career in Germany, helping the team win the 2012 title and winning the Finals MVP. After that, he signed a contract with Russia's Spartacus St. Petersburg but opted to join the Suns' summer league team, where he excelled and was offered a two-year contract.
4. Sergio Rodriguez - 2,387 days
Reason to leave the league: playing in Spain
Last match: 23 years old, April 14, 2010 (match 285)
Returns: 30 years old, October 26, 2016 (286th)
After four seasons in the NBA, Rodriguez signed a three-year contract with Spain's Real Madrid club. In July 2012, he signed a two-year extension with Real Madrid, which will last until the 2014-2015 season. 2014 was one of his best seasons, and he was named to the Europa League First Team along with Rudy Fernandez, winning the Europa League MVP with 14.0 points, 4.9 assists and 2.0 rebounds per game.
On January 9, 2014, he signed an extended contract with the team, where he will remain until 2018. Despite a long-term contract, Rodriguez decided to return to the NBA, where he joined the 76ers and scored 12 points and nine assists in his first game back.
Bobby Brown - 2,389 days
Reason to leave the league: Playing overseas
Last match: 25 years old, April 14, 2010 (113th match)
Return: 32 years old, October 28, 2016 (114th match)
In 2009, Brown was traded to the Hornets along with Darris Sangela in exchange for Antonio McDaniels and a second-round pick. Later in the season, he was traded to the Clippers in exchange for a second-round draft pick and cash. Brown's last game in the league was in April 2010, when he joined the Raptors' summer league team but failed to make it to the team lineup.
Brown then began a successful international career, playing for Dongguan, scoring 74 points in an overtime match, making him the second highest single-game scoring record in Chinese basketball history. After a year in Japan, Brown returned to the NBA to play two seasons for the Rockets.
Bob Cush - 2,441 days
Reason to leave the league: Become a coach
Last match: 34 years old, March 17, 1963 (917th match)
Return: 41 years old, November 21, 1963 (918th match)
In the 1963 NBA Finals, Cussi ended his career with a championship over the Lakers. Unfortunately, Cush sprained his ankle in the fourth quarter of the sixth game. At the end of the season, Cush retired at the age of 34 to become the head coach of the Boston University men's basketball team. During his 6 seasons, he was named Coach of the Year in 1968 and 1969.
Eventually, Cusi got tired of college basketball and returned to the NBA as coach for the Cincinnati Royals. He also appeared as a player to break the gap in 6 years of missing matches.
1. Anthony Parker - 2,477 days
Last match: 24 years old, January 20, 2000 (55th match)
Return: 31 years old, November 1, 2006 (56th match)
In the 76ers' first two seasons, Parker was plagued by injuries and played only 39 regular season games. He was then traded to the Magic, but only played 16 games. Disappointed by his defeat, Parker turned to Europe.
He helped Maccabi win league titles in 2004 and 2005 and was named the Israeli Basketball Premier League Most Valuable Player. In his final season for Maccabi, he led the team to a domestic double but failed to help the team win the Europa League.
In October 2005, Parker led Maccabee to a friendly game against the Raptors, where Parker scored the winning goal. In 2006-2007, when Parker decided to return to the league, the Raptors general manager signed Parker to a three-year, $12 million contract. In his first season back, Parker ranked fourth in the league in three-point shooting, averaging 12.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.