RealGM

Low-content thread, just to satisfy a curiosty of mine, and maybe lend a little discussion and/or praise to the guys who were REALLY able to hang in there, take care of their bodies, stay productive/useful beyond the norm.

Below are [I think] ALL the players to play in a game in the NBA over the age of 40, listed oldest to "youngest" based on age at time of last game played (* if was playoff game), and their statline from that game. Let me know if I've left anyone out.....

0. Nat Hickey (45 years, 363 days [in BAA; he played in only two games total])
0/1 FG's, 4 pf (in 3 minutes)

1. Kevin Willis (44 years, 224 days)
6 pts @ 42.9% TS, 4 reb, 1 stl, 1 tov, 2 pf (in 14.63 minutes)

2. Robert Parish (*43 years, 254 days)
0 pts (0/3 FG's), 2 reb (in 7.7 minutes)

3. Vince Carter (43 years, 45 days)
5 pts @ 50.0% TS, 1 reb, 4 pf (in 12.65 minutes)

4. Udonis Haslem (*42 years, 363 days)
0/1 FG's (in 0.48 minutes)

5. Dikembe Mutombo (*42 years, 300 days)
1 pf (in 1.67 minutes)

6. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (*42 years, 58 days)
7 pts @ 35.9% TS, 3 reb, 3 ast, 2 blk, 2 tov, 3 pf (in 29 minutes)

7. Bob Cousy (41 years, 150 days)
no stats (in 1 minute)

8. Herb Williams (*41 years, 129 days)
no stats (in 14 seconds)

9. John Stockton (*41 years, 35 days)
8 pts @ 50.8% TS, 1 reb, 7 ast, 3 tov, 3 pf (in 27.65 minutes)

10. Charles Jones (*41 years, 30 days)
2 reb, 2 pf (in 4.05 minutes)

11. Karl Malone (*40 years, 325 days)
2 pts @ 50.0% TS, 5 reb, 2 ast, 2 tov, 2 pf (in 21.75 minutes)

12. Dirk Nowitzki (40, 295 days)
20 pts @ 45.7% TS, 10 reb, 1 ast, 1stl, 2 pf (in 31.55 minutes)

13. Manu Ginobili (*40 years, 270 days)
10 pts @ 60.1% TS, 5 reb, 7 ast, 2 tov, 3 pf (in 24.85 minutes)

14. Rick Mahorn (*40 years, 240 days)
1 pt @ 17.4% TS, 6 reb, 1 ast, 1 tov, 3 pf (in 14.82 minutes)

15. Steve Nash (40 years, 60 days)
3 pts @ 75.0% TS, 3 reb, 5 ast, 1 tov (in 13.17 minutes)

16. Michael Jordan (40 years, 58 days)
15 pts @ 44.7% TS, 4 reb, 4 ast, 2 tov (in 28.17 minutes)

17. Jason Kidd (*40 years, 56 days)
1 ast, 1 stl, 1 pf (in 6.38 minutes)

18. Tim Duncan (*40 years, 17 days)
19 pts @ 57.1% TS, 5 reb, 1 blk, 2 tov, 1 pf (in 34.42 minutes)

The fountain of youth is in Texas, it seems.

Vince Carter made it to 43 and change: https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/202003110ATL.html

Ahh, and I found a wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oldest_and_youngest_National_Basketball_Association_players

Apparently a coach inserted himself in '48 and holds the record at just barely under 46 years old.

People have forgotten about Kevin Willis. That man was an absolute beast back in the day.

trex_8063 wrote:Low-content thread, just to satisfy a curiosty of mine, and maybe lend a little discussion and/or praise to the guys who were REALLY able to hang in there, take care of their bodies, stay productive/useful beyond the norm.

Below are [I think] ALL the players to play in a game in the NBA over the age of 40, listed oldest to "youngest" based on age at time of last game played (* if was playoff game), and their statline from that game. Let me know if I've left anyone out.....

1. Kevin Willis (44 years, 224 days)
6 pts @ 42.9% TS, 4 reb, 1 stl, 1 tov, 2 pf (in 14.63 minutes)

2. Robert Parish (*43 years, 254 days)
0 pts (0/3 FG's), 2 reb (in 7.7 minutes)

3. Udonis Haslem (*42 years, 363 days)
0/1 FG's (in 0.48 minutes)

4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (*42 years, 58 days)
7 pts @ 35.9% TS, 3 reb, 3 ast, 2 blk, 2 tov, 3 pf (in 29 minutes)

5. John Stockton (*41 years, 35 days)
8 pts @ 50.8% TS, 1 reb, 7 ast, 3 tov, 3 pf (in 27.65 minutes)

6. Karl Malone (*40 years, 325 days)
2 pts @ 50.0% TS, 5 reb, 2 ast, 2 tov, 2 pf (in 21.75 minutes)

7. Dirk Nowitzki (40, 295 days)
20 pts @ 45.7% TS, 10 reb, 1 ast, 1stl, 2 pf (in 31.55 minutes)

8. Manu Ginobili (*40 years, 270 days)
10 pts @ 60.1% TS, 5 reb, 7 ast, 2 tov, 3 pf (in 24.85 minutes)

9. Steve Nash (40 years, 60 days)
3 pts @ 75.0% TS, 3 reb, 5 ast, 1 tov (in 13.17 minutes)

10. Michael Jordan (40 years, 58 days)
15 pts @ 44.7% TS, 4 reb, 4 ast, 2 tov (in 28.17 minutes)

11. Jason Kidd (*40 years, 56 days)
1 ast, 1 stl, 1 pf (in 6.38 minutes)

12. Tim Duncan (*40 years, 17 days)
19 pts @ 57.1% TS, 5 reb, 1 blk, 2 tov, 1 pf (in 34.42 minutes)

Assuming BAA lineage ...
Nat Hickey
Vince Carter
Dikembe Mutombo
Bob Cousy
Herb Williams
Charles Jones
Rick Mahorn
... (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oldest_and_youngest_National_Basketball_Association_players

For the NBL
'47 also has Hickey (8 games for the Bisons/Blackhawks). Other than that Bob Synott (across the Nationals and Gears) at 34 seems the eldest (ages from Neft and Cohen). At the other end they have an 18 year Paul Seymour on the Toledo Jeeps (from the BAA end Stan Brown and the next year Jim Browne and Joe Grabowski entered at an early age). Haven't checked other NBL years.

Maybe I just find it fascinating, but it's always amazing to me when players make it to that age professionally. Sadly dirk came out and said he regrets playing that long because his mobility is poor now. Mentioned playing with his kids is tough.

I'm not a hockey fan but I just thought of Gordie Howe playing at 52 years old!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oldest_National_Hockey_League_players

Jaivl wrote:The fountain of youth is in Texas, it seems.

Duncan was still a legit player. Dirk was definitely helped along by the respect shown to him by the Spurs and his team having absolutely nothing to play for. Manu, closer to Dirk.

Duncan probably was about a neutral offensive player that last year, but on a per minute basis, he was still in the discussion for best defensive player in the league which is crazy, but one of the reasons I'm surprised he gets less love on the PC board is we have never had another player* who from stem to stern of his career is a top 5 defensive player every single season of his career, and despite no DPOY arguably the very best defensive player in half or more of those seasons including his rookie season. Just such an underrated defensive player.

He needed a fro, or arm bands to make his muscles bulge like Wallace
Or needed to scream needlessly like KG
Or needed to chase blocks like Camby
Or needed to wag his finger
Or needed a Superman gimmick

Instead he just beat you to the spot, knew what you are trying to run and wrecked it over and over for 2 decades. Never gonna be another guy like this.

*Bill Russell exception of course.

Owly wrote:Assuming BAA lineage ...
Nat Hickey
Vince Carter
Dikembe Mutombo
Bob Cousy
Herb Williams
Charles Jones
Rick Mahorn
... (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oldest_and_youngest_National_Basketball_Association_players

Thank you, Owly. I knew I was forgetting some (I was just brain-storming from memory, figured the omissions would turn up). Can hardly believe I forgot Carter and Mutombo; kinda surprised I forgot Cousy, too, as I was well-aware of his brief player-coach stint in Cincy. Don't think I ever would have come up with Mahorn, Williams, or Jones, though.

And I'd never even heard of Nat Hickey.

Edits have been made.
Imagine: Karl Malone isn't even in the top 10!

You just gotta check Masters records to notice that cardio ages okayish, but explosiveness drops off a cliff even before your mid 30s and is ripped to shreds by your 40s (except if your name is Jan Zelezny, Merlene Ottey or Kim Collins).

Vince Carter is an extremely impressive athlete.

Stockton and Manu could have easily played bench minutes for an additional season without being detrimental to the team

trex_8063 wrote:Imagine: Karl Malone isn't even in the top 10!

Imagine if he'd finished his final season in Utah, though. He still had it in him that last year when he was healthy, he just didn't have the touches or a sensible PnR PG. Or spacing.