Kareem in a Rocking Chair. Larry Bird Made ONE Phone Call. Bill Russell Just Disappeared. — Bob Ryan

Nobody retires the same way. Bill Russell walked away in secret — no announcement, no ceremony, gone. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar got a season-long farewell tour with a rocking chair waiting in every arena. Larry Bird picked up the phone at 8:45 in the morning and told one writer. And Bob Ryan was there for all of it.

In this episode, Bob remembers how the greatest players in NBA history said goodbye — the exits that matched the men: Russell’s silence, Kareem’s long goodbye, Bird’s phone call, Wilt, Dr. J’s send-off, and Jordan leaving three different times.

Which legend got the exit right? That’s the debate.

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