5 Players Who Made No Impact All Year Then Became Playoff Heroes

by Jeremy Block - 9/16/2025

Players who made no impact all year then became playoff heroes Andre Iguodala

Some players spend the regular season barely making a ripple, and by the time the postseason rolls around, no one’s expecting much. But then something incredible happens—under the intensity of the playoffs, they step up and deliver in ways no fan saw coming. Maybe it's a clutch homer in a do-or-die game or a huge defensive play when it matters most. Whatever it is, these players prove that when the stakes are at their highest, even the unlikeliest of players can step up and lead the way.

Whether they’ve spent the year flying under the radar or just haven't lived up to expectations, these players woke up when it counted. Let’s look at five players who turned their season-long invisibility into a postseason performance that the sports world will never forget.

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Nick Foles (2018)

When a backup quarterback is called up to lead a team through the playoffs, it's usually a recipe for disaster. But Nick Foles wasn’t your average backup. After Carson Wentz went down with an injury in 2017, Foles was handed the reins to the Philadelphia Eagles, and let’s just say, not many people were betting on him. Most thought the Eagles’ playoff run would fizzle out fast. But Foles had other ideas.

Foles didn’t just limp his way to the Super Bowl—he carried the Eagles. In the big game, Foles put on a performance for the ages, throwing for 373 yards, three touchdowns, and, of course, catching a touchdown of his own in the iconic "Philly Special." That clutch postseason run earned him Super Bowl MVP and showed that sometimes, the guy you least expect can become the player who delivers when it counts the most.

Justin Williams (2014)

The postseason has a funny way of spotlighting the unlikeliest heroes, and Justin Williams proved that perfectly in the 2014 Stanley Cup Finals. Going into the playoffs, he was far from being on anyone’s radar as a potential Finals MVP—but once the Kings hit the ice, something clicked, and Williams turned into “Mr. Clutch”.

While the Kings’ defense and goaltending held up, it was Williams’ scoring that stole the show. He earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs, finishing with nine goals and 16 points in 26 games. And he wasn’t done yet. In the Finals against the Rangers, Williams scored two goals and added five assists in 5 games—including a crucial goal in Game 5 to give the Kings a 3-1 series lead. His ability to make the big play at the right time turned the tide for the Kings, proving that when the spotlight hit, Williams was the guy you wanted on your side.

Danny Green (2013)

The regular season wasn’t anything extraordinary for Danny Green, especially when it came to offensive output. A solid role player who averaged 10.5 points per game, Green never really jumped off the scouting report as a threat. But as we all know, the playoffs have a way of delivering unexpected surprises—and that’s exactly what happened with Green in the 2013 postseason.

Come playoff time, Green turned into the Spurs’ top offensive threat, putting up 233 points and shooting an absurd 48% from beyond the arc. And it didn’t stop there. In the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat, Green took his game to a whole new level, setting a Finals record at the time for three-pointers made in a series with 27. He was draining triples from every spot around the perimeter, which helped the Spurs grab a crucial 3-2 series lead.

Green’s shooting was a driving force in the Spurs’ near-championship run, proving that even a guy with average regular-season stats can light it up when the stakes are high.

Andre Iguodala (2015)

For most of the 2015 season, Andre Iguodala was just.. there. He wasn’t the guy taking over games, and he also wasn’t the worst player on the roster either. Averaging 7.8 points and a handful of assists, he was the steady veteran who chipped in here and there when needed. In other words, he did the little things, but fans weren’t rushing to buy his jersey.

Then the playoffs hit, and suddenly, Iguodala wasn’t just “fine”—he was a game-changer. Sliding into the starting lineup, his numbers jumped to 10.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, and those stats only got better when the Finals started.

Matching up with a prime LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Iguodala stuck to him like white on rice, disrupting James' usual onslaught at the rim. While at the same time, he averaged 16.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, which helped him snag the Finals MVP, and rightfully so.

David Freese (2011)

The 2011 regular season didn’t have anyone talking about David Freese, at all. With just 97 games played, a .297 batting average, 10 home runs, and 55 RBIs, Freese was just a player doing his part when he got his chances. We can all agree, based on those numbers, he wasn’t on pace for a breakout postseason, right? Well, you’re dead wrong.

Freese turned the postseason into his own highlight reel. He batted a .348 with 25 hits, three home runs, and 21 RBIs throughout the entire playoff run. By the time the World Series rolled around, he was untouchable. He racked up eight hits and six RBIs in 23 at-bats, capped off by a walk-off homer that forced a Game 7. By the end of it, he had won the World Series MVP, shocking the baseball world and proving anyone can flip the script, despite how quiet their season was before.

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Start:	September 17, 2025 @ 11:00 PM
Expert:	Griffin Murphy
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5 Players Who Made No Impact All Year Then Became Playoff Heroes

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