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John Stockton, Bob Cousy, Dikembe Mutombo, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar--these are just some players who showed some crazy longevity in the NBA. These guys played in the league way past their prime, even playing through their early 40s!
For context, the average player in the league last season was 26 years old and have had four seasons under his belt. This season's average will most likely not be far off. It's, therefore, safe to say that playing and contributing well through your late 30s is one remarkable feat.
With players like Vince Carter reportedly returning to the Hawks to play his 22nd NBA season at 42 years old and Pau Gasol suiting up for the Blazers at 38 years old, it just makes you wonder, who else is up there with them trying to defeat Father time?
As the 2019-2020 NBA Season starts this October 23, we look at the Top 5 oldest players who will still be playing it out this season.
5. Nenê (37 years, 1 month, 10 days)
Nenê Hilario, who legally changed his name in 2003 to just "Nenê," was the 7th overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft. The Brazillian was drafted by the New York Knicks and was traded to the Denver Nuggets.
The forward/center wasted no time in proving his place in the league as he made an immediate impact on the team, averaging 10.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 steals as a starter of 80 games. He ranked sixth in the whole league in field goal percentage and consequently earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors.
Nenê had a few more years with Denver as part of the core that made the playoffs and even pushed it to the Western Conference Finals in 2009. His best playoff year in terms of points was in 2007 where he averaged 15.2 points on 7.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, .6 blocks, and .6 steals. The following year, the Brazillian shot 100% from the free throw line in the 2008 playoffs.
Currenlty, Nenê is still a valuable piece to his current team, the Houston Rockets as he's signed through 2021. Despite a series of injuries and a cancer scare in his first few years in the league, Nenê remains a great defensive player and complementary piece to Harden and the Rockets as he comes off the bench at 37 years old.
4. Kyle Korver (38 years, 7 months, 6 days old)
Korver, who was born on March 17, 1981, will be over 38 years old when the season starts in October.
He was famously known to have been traded by the Nets for a copy machine (Well, he wasn't exactly traded for a copy machine straight up, but he was traded to the Sixers on draft night for $125,000, which the Nets then used to buy a copy machine and cover the costs of the summer league).
The man has since led the whole league in shooting from beyond the arc a total of four times--even setting the NBA record for three-point shooting percentage at 53.6% in the 2009-2010 season where he was still in Utah.
After his stint in Utah, he spent a few years with the Bulls before he was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for guess what--cash considerations. He would then be named an All-Star in Atlanta and would be instrumental to the team as they set a franchise record of 60 wins, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in 2015. Take that, cash considerations!
Currently, the guard/forward is signed with the Milwaukee Bucks in a one-year deal. Korver will already be 39 years old come playoff time, and will most likely still be very valuable as he comes off the bench for a few minutes to rain some threes as they try to make it out of the East.
3. Pau Gasol (39 years, 3 months, 17 days old)
Pau Gasol is probably one of the most accomplished European basketball players both in the NBA and in the international scene. He was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in 2001, but was immediately traded to the Memphis Grizzlies the same night. He instantly made an impact on the team as he played 36.7 minutes per game while also being the only player on the Grizzlies to play all 82 games that season. He eventually won the Rookie of the Year Award (he's actually one of only six rookies who weren't born in the US to win it), and then played a full 82 games again the following season. On just his third season, he would lead the team to the playoffs.
The 7-foot Spaniard spent a few more years with the Grizzlies before being traded to the Lakers for the draft rights to his brother Marc, two other Laker players, and two future first round picks.
That same season, Gasol and the Lakers would lose to Garnett and Celtics in the 2008 Finals. However, prime Gasol was no doubt a force to be reckoned with. He went on a mission to redeem himself as he and the Lakers won the chip the next two years following that loss.
Pau Gasol has received four All-NBA and six All-Star selections in his career. But even before making it to the NBA, he had already been making waves internationally. He led the junior Spanish national team to gold in the 1998 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship and the 1999 FIBA Under-19 World Championship.
Gasol would eventually win as part of the senior national team too, leading the team to the 2006 FIBA World Championship (where was named MVP) and winning the EuroBasket tournament several times. He's a pretty decorated player, winning FIBA and EuroBasket medals in the off-season after several long playoff runs in the NBA.
Yeah--pretty impressive that with all the mileage his body has taken, he's still a serviceable player in the NBA at 39 years old.
Pau has recently signed with the Portland Trail Blazers after spending the first half of the prior season with the Spurs and then subsequently being bought out by the Bucks before the playoffs (which was unfortunate for both the Bucks and Pau as he only suited up for three games because of persistent foot and ankle issues). Hopefully, he becomes much healthier this upcoming season, as he would surely be a great addition to the Blazers' front court and a great veteran presence in the team.
2. Udonis Haslem (39 years, 4 months, 14 days old)
Unlike the Top 3 pick Gasol, Udonis Haslem came into the league undrafted. He signed with his hometown team, the Miami Heat, and has stayed in the franchise ever since.
Arguably one of the greatest undrafted players in league history, he earned NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors his first year in the league and was important part of the Heat's playoff run in which they reached the second round.
He has since won three championships with the team (2006, 2012, 2013) and was the team's defensive anchor in those championship runs. He recently re-signed with the Miami Heat in a one-year deal (his fourth one-year deal with the team) for his 17th season in the NBA. The power forward will also be the longest tenured active NBA player this upcoming 2019-2020 season.
Haslem currently holds the franchise record for offensive and total rebounds at 5,738. The only other undrafted player to break a franchise record in the league? None.
1. Vince Carter (42 years, 9 months, 4 days old)
Ah, yes. Vince Carter--the man who can still make perfect windmill dunks--is still going strong at 42 years old. 'Air Canada' was drafted by the Toronto Raprtors in 1998 and was arguably one of the greatest NBA icons in a hockey country like Canada (well, until his controversial exit from the team...but let's not talk about that right now).
Carter has recently re-signed with the Atlanta Hawks on a one-year deal, and will be playing his 22nd and last season alongside young stars Trae Young and John Collins (Fun fact: Carter has actually been in the NBA longer than both Young and Collins have been on earth!).
Vinsanity is famously known for his crazy athleticism, which led to some unfortunate opponents being dunked on. Even Kobe Bryant admitted not joining the Dunk Contest in 1999 because he knew Vince would win.
Vince won Rookie of the Year in 1999 and has since had eight All-Star and two All-NBA selections throughout his career. A great locker room guy, as evidenced by his 2015-2016 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award in and 2018 NBPA Backbone Award, Vinsanity will surely be a great veteran presence for the young Atlanta Hawks.
Guess the Lakers players!
