Did you know that the average age of NBA players in the 2024-2025 season as of November 11th, 2024, 26.004 years old? They say that time is undefeated in sports, basketball included, and that players who are over the hill tend to become bit players for their respective teams.
However, the hardwood has always relied on veterans who continue to defy Father Time on the court. Their experience and adaptability keep them competitive against players who could be their children.
But which ballers who have graced the court and defied the NBA odds are the oldest ones to do it? Let’s dive into the world of these seasoned ballers and uncover what makes them tick.
Special Mention – LeBron James: 40 years, 50 days (as of Feb. 18, 2025)
LeBron James is currently the oldest player in the NBA. But that does not mean that he hasn’t been playing at the highest level – The King has been playing for 21 years in the NBA, and is a 4 time champion. James’ stats for the 2024-2025 season is truly otherworldly – as a 40 year old, he’s averaging 24.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 9.0 assists per game, with 51.6% FG percentage. These stats still make him a viable player among potential NBA picks in fantasy and NBA betting sites.
On February 7, 2023, LeBron James broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record by scoring 38 to give himself a total of 38,390 regular season points, in a 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
With the Lakers recently acquiring Luka Doncic, LeBron James might see his scoring load be lightened. But given his seemingly ageless production, we might see him add more points to his scoring total or have another run for championship before he calls it a surefire hall-of-fame career.
10. John Stockton: 41 years, 35 days
John Stockton is one half of the iconic duo with Karl Malone who ran roughshod over the Western Conference as part of the Utah Jazz from 1984 to 2003. Stockton holds the NBA record for all-time assists (15,806) as well as steals (3,265), making him one of the best NBA point guards, with career averages of 13.1 points, 10.5 assists, and 2.2 steals.
He spent all of his 19-year career with the Utah Jazz, and apart from acquiring tons of assists by passing to Karl Malone, he was also considered by many to be an iron man of sorts, having the record for the most games and consecutive games played with one team.
In 2009, Stockton was enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for his career as an individual player; in 2010, he was inducted again as a member of the 1992 United States men’s Olympic basketball team, also known as the “Dream Team”.
9. Herb Williams: 41 years, 129 days
Herb Williams is an 18-year NBA veteran whose career spanned from 1981 to 1999. Williams was drafted in 1981 during the first round as the 14th pick by the Indiana Pacers. After 9 seasons, he was sent to the Dallas Mavericks for 4 seasons. Afterwards, he went to the New York Knicks for 3 seasons before having a stint in Toronto.
Williams then went back to the Knicks where he spent the last 4 seasons of his career. As a Power Forward / Center, Williams had career averages of 10.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.5 blocks. His most productive seasons were with the Pacers and Mavericks.
8. Bob Cousy: 41 years, 150 days
Bob Cousy, also known as the “Houdini of the Hardwood”, is one of the most popular NBA basketball players during the 1950s and 60s. Cousy’s career spanned for 13 and a half seasons, majority of them spent with the Boston Celtics who drafted him as the 4th overall pick during the 1950 draft. He is regarded as one of the greatest Celtics players of all time.
Bob Cousy was a 13 time NBA All Star and won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 1957 as well as 6 championships between 1957 to 1963. Cousy retired as an active player in 1963, and became coach for Boston College and eventually the Cincinnati Royals. In 1970, Cousy, at the age of 41, became a player for the Royals during the late season in an effort to boost ticket sales, which rocketed by 77 percent.
7. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 42 years, 58 days
Armed with the most unstoppable offensive move in the history of the NBA, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and his patented skyhook dominated the NBA in his 20-year career. Abdul-Jabbar was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks 1st overall during the 1969 Draft. He led them to their first championship during the 1970-71 season as a sophomore, where he also nabbed Finals MVP honors.
After 6 seasons with the Bucks, Abdul-Jabbar was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Abdul-Jabbar spent the rest of his career with the Lakers, winning five more titles and the 1985 Finals MVP.
In terms of records, Abdul-Jabbar once held the record for most points scored in the NBA with 38,387, as well as games played (1,560), minutes played (57,446), field goals made (15,837), field goal attempts (28,307), blocked shots (3,189), defensive rebounds (9,394), career wins (1,074), and personal fouls (4,657). He also holds the most MVP awards with 6, as well as the first player to play 20 consecutive seasons.
6. Dikembe Mutombo: 42 years, 300 days
Mount Mutombo was a defensive force during his career in the NBA. Known as one of the best shot blockers during his heyday, Dikembe Mutombo won Defensive Player of the Year awards in four different seasons.
Mutombo played in the NBA for 18 seasons where he averaged 9.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game as Center. He was drafted by the Denver Nuggets back in the 1991 Draft as 4th overall, and one of the most memorable highlights as a Nugget was their underdog win against the top-seeded Seattle Supersonics. The Nuggets were the 8th seed, while the Sonics were the 1st, and managed to win the best-of-5 1st round series in a thrilling Game 5.
While Mutombo didn’t win any championships, he did manage to play in the Finals when he was with the Philadelphia 76ers along with Allen Iverson.
5. Udonis Haslem: 42 years, 363 days
Udonis Haslem, or “U.D.” to his teammates, is the longest-tenured player for the Miami Heat. Even though he was part of the 2002 Draft, no team picked him up, which led him to head overseas, playing for Chalon-Sur-Saône of the French LNB Pro A for one season.
“font-weight: 400;”>During the 2003 season, Miami Heat finally signed him up, and even with his 6 ‘6 frame, he was an enforcer at the Power Forward position. In terms of accolades, Haslem is the only player who was part of the organization’s three championship conquests during his 20-year career with the organization.
“font-weight: 400;”>While his career stats do not stand out (7.5 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 0.8 APG), Haslem is instrumental in shaping the Heat’s locker room, where many consider him as the heart and soul of the Heat franchise. As the team’s locker room leader, Haslem can be argued to be part in cultivating the “Heat Culture” that espouses hard-nosed, grit-and-grind basketball.
4. Vince Carter: 43 years, 45 days
“Vinsanity” is widely regarded as one of the best dunkers in NBA history. He won the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest, where he showcased his slam dunk artistry. This included his reverse 360-windmill dunk, the between-the-legs bounce dunk, and the “cookie jar” dunk. He also executed the notorious Dunk of Death against France during the 2000 Summer Olympics. He jumped over 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) French player Frédéric Weis for a dunk after stealing the ball.
As far as tenure, Vince Carter holds the distinction of playing in four different decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s). Carter was the star player for the Toronto Raptors, where he played for 7 seasons. He was then traded to the New Jersey Nets where he teamed up with Jason Kidd for 5 years. Later on, he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks, where he took up the scoring slack off the bench.
For his career, Vince Carter 16.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.1 APG, while shooting 43.5 FG%. His career in Toronto and New Jersey let him showcase his high-flying prowess. Meanwhile, the latter part of his career saw him adjust his game as a 3-point threat and bench threat.
3. Robert Parish: 43 years, 232 days
“The Chief” is one of Boston Celtics’ longest-tenured players, having played for the team for 14 seasons. Parish was considered to be the original “Big Three” with Larry Bird and Kevin McHale. During his stay with the Celtics, Parish won 3 championships (1980-81, 1983-84, and 1985-86). During his final season in Chicago in 1993-94, he got his 4th championship.
Parish is also known to be one of the iron men in the NBA. He holds the record for playing in 1,611 regular season games during his career that spans 21 seasons. Parish’s career stats of 14.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.7 BPG made him a crucial piece for the 80s Celtics.
2. Kevin Willis: 44 years, 224 days
Kevin Wiliis holds the record for the second oldest player to have played in the NBA, spanning 21 seasons. Willis started playing back in 1984, where he was drafted 11th by the Atlanta Hawks where he spent 11 seasons. He played in Miami, Golden State, Houston, Toronto, and San Antonio where he won a championship during the 2002-2003 season.
Willis retired from the NBA during the 2005-06 season, but returned during the 2006-07 season. He played for the Dallas Mavericks for 5 games before calling it a career. His career stats saw him have 12.1 PPG, 8.4 RPG, and 0.9 APG, while having a 48.7 FG% average.
1. Nat Hickey: 45 years, 363 days
Nat Hickey is the oldest player to play in the NBA at 45 years old, and 363 days. The majority of Hickey’s basketball career saw him play for the now-defunct American Basketball League. He played 2 games for the Providence Steamrollers during the 1947–48 season in the Basketball Association of America.
His decision to add himself into the team roster was to help them improve their standings. However, he only managed to drop 1 point (due to free throws) and 5 personal fouls in 2 games.
Prior to his short-lived NBA career as a player, Hickey was a tenured ABL player. He had 21 seasons under his belt, playing for teams like the Chicago Bruins, Boston Trojans, and the Original Celtics. Under the National Basketball League, he played for Pittsburgh Raiders, Indianapolis Kautskys, and Tri-Cities Blackhawks.
Final Thoughts
The landscape of professional basketball is continuously evolving, with veteran players at the forefront of this change. Their impact even in their 30s and 40s is reshaping our understanding of athletic prime and career longevity.
Whether you’re a casual fan or a serious bettor, our insights can help you appreciate the NBA’s oldest players.