Ranking the 20 Best Last Games of Sports Superstars
Kobe Bryant scored 60 points in his final NBA game, a regular-season win that capped a disappointing season. Peyton Manning won a Super Bowl title but had meh stats. Which is better?
Well, it's a matter of opinion, of course (as these things tend to be), but it doesn't seem far-fetched to suggest a ring is sweeter than 60 points.
Still, it's a tough call. Many things contribute to a great final game (or match, bout, etc.)—individual performance, the stakes, the outcome for the team, the atmosphere, the drama of the moment.
The following 20 athletes were superstars. They are and were Hall of Famers, GOATs, champions, record-holders and, sometimes, all of the above. Each of their final games will be examined based on individual performance as well as the stakes and outcome for the team (when applicable). And just to be clear, just being on the list at all means all of them had an absolute boss last game.
Still, the greatest final games will have high degrees of individual and team excellence—with a deference to that whole championship thing. Because again, would you trade a historic regular-season performance for a championship? Judging by Kevin Durant's latest move, many likely would.
Stats from Sports Reference sites unless otherwise noted.
Honorable Mentions
1 of 21
There have been many phenomenal athletes to grace the sports world over the years, and unless they're still playing, they had a final game at some point. Still, only a select few had final games that were as big-time as the 20 on this list. Here are a few honorable mentions:
Michael Jordan: If Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals had, in fact, been Jordan's last NBA game, he would have coasted to No. 1 on this list. The GOAT's actual last game occurred in 2003, however, a 15-point performance for the Washington Wizards.
Derek Jeter: The longtime New York Yankees shortstop had a storybook ending at Yankee Stadium, smacking a walk-off single in true Captain Clutch fashion. Jeter's actual last game, however, occurred at Fenway Park a few days later.
Mike Mussina: One of the most underrated pitchers of all time, Mike Mussina probably doesn't qualify as a "superstar." His last game, however, was a gem. In 2008, Mussina pitched six innings and allowed three hits and no earned runs to collect his 20th win, the first time he'd reached that total his entire 18-year career.
Brendon McCullum: The New Zealand cricketer is still playing professionally but retired from international competition in February. His final Test match is worth noting because it saw him record the fastest century of all time.
Jerome Bettis: The Pro Football Hall of Fame Pittsburgh Steelers running back won a Super Bowl in his final NFL game—Super XL in 2006. However, his 43 yards on 14 carries was slightly overshadowed by Willie Parker's 93 rushing yards and Hines Ward's 123 receiving.
Wilt Chamberlain: One of the all-time great NBA centers, Chamberlain scored 23 points and grabbed 21 rebounds in his final NBA game, a playoff loss to the New York Knicks in 1973. Other superstars who scored 20-plus points in their final game include Julius Erving of the Philadelphia 76ers (24) and John Havlicek of the Boston Celtics (29).
20. Mia Hamm
2 of 21
Mia Hamm is one of the greatest women's soccer players in history and was the face of the game for many years. She scored 158 international goals, which—until Abby Wambach broke that record in 2013—was the most by any player, male or female, in soccer history.
Last Game: Hamm's final competitive match was the 2004 Olympic gold-medal game in Athens, Greece, which the U.S. won in overtime against Brazil. Her final match, period, was a friendly against Mexico later that year.
Stats: Hamm did not score in the gold-medal game but did notch two assists in the 5-0 friendly win.
Sure, friendlies don't mean anything, but the game against Mexico provided fans an opportunity to honor Hamm, along with also retiring teammates Julie Foudy and Joy Fawcett.
Hamm said, "It was a special night. I was thinking that this was the last time I will hear the national anthem before I go out on the field," per Ken Peters of the Associated Press (via USA Today).
19. Pele
3 of 21
Pele is a football legend. The Brazilian was part of three World Cup title teams and scored 1,283 career goals (including friendlies).
Last Game: Like Hamm's, Pele's last game was also a friendly—between his American club, the New York Cosmos, and his former Brazilian club, Santos FC, in 1977.
Stats: Pele played one half for each side and scored for the Cosmos on a 30-yard free kick.
Pele's final game—though competitively meaningless—was incredibly memorable. Muhammad Ali was on hand to take it in. Rain poured down. According to Nick Miller of ESPN FC, one Brazilian newspaper later ran the headline, "Even the Sky Was Crying."
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
18. Mariano Rivera
4 of 21
Mariano Rivera is the greatest closer in MLB history. He is the all-time saves leader with 652, his 42 postseason saves and 0.70 postseason ERA are both records, and he's got five World Series rings.
Last Game: The New York Yankees great threw his last professional pitch in September 2013—a regular-season loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Stats: Rivera got the final two outs of the eighth inning and the first two of the ninth, retiring all four batters he faced.
Though his team lost, and though the game had no competitive significance, Rivera's final moments on the mound—as teammates Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte came out to remove him from the game—were some of the most memorable fans will ever see.
17. Lisa Leslie
5 of 21
Lisa Leslie is a basketball legend. She won four Olympic gold medals, two WNBA championships and became the first player to dunk in a WNBA game in 2002.
Last Game: The longtime Los Angeles Spark played her last game in 2009—an 85-74 loss to the Phoenix Mercury in Game 3 of the WNBA Western Conference Finals.
Stats: Leslie scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the game. She fouled out with under two minutes to go.
A third WNBA title would have been nice, but Leslie fought and contributed until the very end. Per Mechelle Voepel of espnW.com, she said, "I feel great, because I have no regrets."
16. Reggie Miller
6 of 21
Reggie Miller is one of the NBA's great shooters. His 2,560 career three-pointers are second only to Ray Allen (2,973), and he led the NBA in free-throw percentage five times over his 18-year career with the Indiana Pacers. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.
Last Game: Miller played his final NBA game in 2005—a season-ending loss to the Detroit Pistons in the NBA playoffs.
Stats: Miller scored 27 points, including 12 from three-point land. His final bucket was, appropriately, a three in the final two minutes. Fans from both sides chanted his name.
Miller had announced his retirement plans earlier in the season, and the loss closed the door on his last championship hope. Even Chauncey Billups, then with the Pistons said, "This is a sad day, really," per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com).
15. Ted Williams
7 of 21
Ted Williams played 19 MLB seasons for the Boston Red Sox from 1939-1942 and 1946-1960. The Hall of Famer recorded 521 career home runs, 2,654 hits and is regarded as one of the game's greatest hitters.
Last Game: Williams' last career game was a regular-season win over the Baltimore Orioles in September 1960. The Red Sox went 65-89 on the year.
Stats: Williams went 1-for-3 with a walk and, most notably, hit a home run in his final at-bat.
It wasn't for a World Series win, but that home run sure did pack the drama. According to Jim Caple of ESPN.com, Williams said after the game, "I was gunning for the big one. I let everything I had go. I really wanted that one."
14. Kobe Bryant
8 of 21
Kobe Bryant will go down as one of the great Los Angeles Lakers. He won five titles in his 20-year career and sits third on the all-time NBA scoring list (33,643).
Last Game: Bryant's last game was a regular-season win over the Utah Jazz that capped off a forgettable 2015-16 campaign.
Stats: The man scored 60 points—60 points on 50 shots with 16 unassisted buckets.
Bryant had, of course, announced his retirement prior to his last game, so the atmosphere at the Staples Center was tremendous, as was his performance.
However, even he pointed out the season was lacking, joking during a speech at the ESPYs in July, "I felt an impressive 17-for-65 season would be a bold way to wrap up my 20-year career," per Alex Stedman of the Boston Herald.
13. Peyton Manning
9 of 21
Five-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning is the all-time leader in career touchdown passes (539), career passing yards (71,940), single-season TD passes (55) and single-season passing yards (5,477)—just to name a few of his achievements.
Last Game: Manning's last game was Super Bowl 50, a 24-10 win for his Denver Broncos over the Carolina Panthers.
Stats: Manning went 13-of-23 with 141 yards and one interception.
It's no secret Denver's defense won it Super Bowl 50. (Linebacker Von Miller took home MVP honors.) Manning's stats weren't as impressive as John Elway's in his Super Bowl-winning final game, but a title is one great way to go out nonetheless.
12. Lennox Lewis
10 of 21
Lennox Lewis won 41 of his 44 professional fights, 32 by knockout. He was the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, a feat no other boxer has accomplished since he did in 1999.
Last Bout: Lewis defended his WBC and IBO heavyweight titles by defeating Vitali Klitschko in his final bout in 2003.
Stats: Klitschko—the No. 1 WBC heavyweight contender at the time, according to BoxRec—gave Lewis quite a battle but suffered a brutal cut over his left eye that contributed to his defeat. Physicians stopped the fight in the sixth round, even though each of the three judges had Klitschko winning 58-56 at the time, according to Mike Freeman of the New York Times.
It wasn't Lewis' finest performance, but he still retired as the champ, an achievement not many can claim.
11. Michael Strahan
11 of 21
Michael Strahan is a seven-time Pro Bowler and Hall of Fame defensive end. He is fifth on the NFL's list of career sack leaders, recording 141.5 over his 15-year career.
Last Game: Strahan's final game was Super Bowl XLII in 2008. His New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots, 17-14.
Stats: Strahan sacked Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in the third quarter of a tightly contested game.
Not only did Strahan win a title in his final game, but he won his first and only title, a feat that is its own kind of special. Then-teammate Osi Umenyiora said, "He retired at the top of his game. A lot of us don't get the chance to do that," per ESPN.com news services.
10. Joe DiMaggio
12 of 21
Legendary New York Yankee Joe DiMaggio played 13 seasons in the big leagues from 1936 to 1942 and 1946 to 1951, posted a career .325 average, won three MVP Awards and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1955.
Last Game: DiMaggio's final game was Game 6 of the 1951 World Series, a 4-3 win over the New York Giants.
Stats: DiMaggio went 1-for-2 with two (intentional) walks and a run scored.
The 1951 title marked the last of nine rings DiMaggio won during his career. His individual performance didn't provide the drama of, say, Ted Williams in his final game, but a ninth World Series ring is pretty sweet.
9. Ray Lewis
13 of 21
Ray Lewis will be remembered as one of the NFL's great defensive players. A seven-time All-Pro and two-time Defensive Player of the Year, the linebacker also won the Super Bowl MVP in 2000.
Last Game: Lewis played his final game at Super Bowl XLVII in 2013. His Baltimore Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 34-31.
Stats: Lewis served as an emotional leader and also contributed seven tackles, including two on the 49ers' final drive.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh said, "The final series of Ray Lewis' career was a goal-line stand to win the Lombardi Trophy. It was not perfect. It was not pretty. But it was us. That is who we are," per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com).
8. Bill Russell
14 of 21
Bill Russell is a legendary NBA Hall of Famer. His Boston Celtics won 11 titles over the course of his 13-year career, including eight straight from 1959 to 1966, and he was named league MVP five times.
Last Game: Russell's last game was for, what else, a title. His Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 108-106, in Game 7 of the 1969 NBA Finals to take the championship.
Stats: Russell scored six points and went 2-of-4 from the free-throw line.
Russell's own stats were underwhelming, but he was also coaching the team at that time. Pretty impressive.
7. Jean Beliveau
15 of 21
Montreal Canadiens great Jean Beliveau was a 14-time NHL All-Star, two-time Hart Trophy winner and 10-time Stanley Cup champion as a player.
Last Game: Beliveau's last game was a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 7 of the 1971 Stanley Cup Final.
Stats: Beliveau did not score in the game but did serve as team captain. He also contributed 22 points in those 1971 playoffs.
Beliveau was a bit like the Bill Russell of hockey—a legendary player, perennial champion and true leader who spent his entire career with one team and went out with a title.
6. Landon Donovan
16 of 21
Landon Donovan is a living legend in American soccer. He scored 57 international goals in 15 years with the U.S. men's national team. That makes him the all-time leading scorer, a title he also holds in MLS.
Last Game: Donovan's final game for the U.S. was a friendly versus Ecuador in October 2014. However, his actual final game was a big one—the 2014 MLS Cup Final that December. His Los Angeles Galaxy defeated the New England Revolution, 2-1, giving him his sixth MLS title.
Stats: Donovan did not score in his final game, but in this case, it hardly mattered.
Per Joe Lago of Yahoo Sports, Galaxy coach Bruce Arena pointed out: "He ends his career [as] arguably the greatest player in the history of U.S. Soccer. In the league, he's the all-time leading goal scorer with the assists record and championships—what more can you say? Can you write that any better, that script?"
5. Ray Bourque
17 of 21
Ray Bourque had a 21-year Hall of Fame NHL career. He was a 19-time All-Star and won the Norris Trophy for the league's best defenseman five times.
Last Game: Bourque's final game was Game 7 of the 2001 Stanley Cup Final, a 3-1 win over the New Jersey Devils that crowned his Colorado Avalanche.
Stats: Bourque spent 29:35 on the ice during the game and recorded two shots on goal.
After spending most of his career with the Boston Bruins, Bourque finally got his first Stanley Cup with the Avalanche. He might not have scored in his final game, but its significance was not lost on those familiar with Bourque's journey.
After the game, Avs captain Joe Sakic famously handed Bourque the Cup before hoisting it himself.
4. David Robinson
18 of 21
Hall of Fame center David Robinson was an NBA MVP and 10-time All-Star over the course of his 14-year career with the San Antonio Spurs.
Last Game: Robinson's last game was an 88-77 win over the New Jersey Nets in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.
Stats: Robinson notched a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 17 rebounds.
Robinson played well in a title-clinching game to close out his career. His in-game performance was overshadowed by young teammate Tim Duncan—who notched 21 points, 20 boards, 10 assists and eight blocks in Game 6 and won the Finals MVP Award—but nonetheless, The Admiral's exit was almost perfect.
3. Rocky Marciano
19 of 21
Rocky Marciano won all 49 of his professional bouts from 1947 to 1955. He became world heavyweight champion in 1952 and successfully defended his title six times.
Last Bout: Marciano defeated Archie Moore at Yankee Stadium in 1955 and later retired as the undefeated world champion.
Stats: Moore knocked Marciano down in the second round, but the champ won by knockout in the ninth.
Per the Associated Press (via the Los Angeles Times), Moore said of Marciano, "He was a fighter, that's what he was."
(Yes, Floyd Mayweather Jr. also retired as an undefeated champion, but come on. Was that bout against Manny Pacquiao really fun for anyone?)
2. Pete Sampras
20 of 21
Pete Sampras is regarded as one of the greatest men's tennis players in history. He spent 286 weeks as the No. 1 player in the world and won 14 Grand Slams.
Last Match: Sampras won his final professional match, the 2002 U.S. Open Final, by defeating his longtime rival Andre Agassi, 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.
Sampras did not announce his retirement until 2003, but the drama was there at the U.S. Open nonetheless. The American collected his 14th Grand Slam title that day, which was a record at the time (that has since been surpassed by Roger Federer).
1. John Elway
21 of 21
John Elway spent his entire 16-year NFL career with the Denver Broncos. The legendary quarterback is sixth on the list of all-time passing yards (51,475) and seventh in passing touchdowns (300). He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
Last Game: Elway's Broncos won Super Bowl XXXIII in 1999, defeating the Atlanta Falcons 34-19.
Stats: Elway threw for 336 yards and one touchdown and ran for a score as well. He was named the game's MVP.
Elway's final game went the way many athletes likely dream about—performing well in a championship win. It doesn't get much better than that.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
