25 NBA Players Who Are Somehow Still In The League
Have you ever visited a park and encountered an IRL version of Uncle Drew? These cats pop up everywhere basketball is played—including the professional ranks. Though most NBA careers last less than five years, some guys have played well past their 40th birthday. Here are 25 players who are somehow still in the league.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Jason Terry (3) points at fans in the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center.
Have you ever visited a park or gymnasium and encountered an IRL Uncle Drew? If you frequent the pick-up scene, you know the type of baller we’re talking about: He’s got a few decades on the next-oldest guy on the court, and his knees have seen better days, but he’s still getting buckets—and he’s probably doing it while wearing ridiculous apparel.
Older players have a number of natural disadvantages. They don’t have youthful speed, agility, or athleticism any more. They can’t play at the rim, grab rebounds, or check quick ball-handlers.
But they also have advantages. They have that old-man basketball wisdom; they understand how the game works. They’ve refined their shooting stroke over decades of schooling young bloods. Perhaps most importantly, they know themselves—they know their strengths and weaknesses, and they play within their game.
These Uncle Drews pop up everywhere basketball is played—including the professional ranks. Over the years, we’ve seen a number of NBA players stretch their careers to unbelievable lengths. John Stockton played past 41. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played past 42; same for Dikembe Mutombo.
As for the oldest player in NBA history? That distinction goes to Nat Hickey. As coach for the Providence Steamrollers, he activated himself for two games just before he turned 46. If we’re talking strictly real players, veteran Kevin Willis tops the geriatric class. He played until nearly his 45th birthday.
With the increasing potency of scientific information and technology, some have speculated that LeBron James could play for 10 more years. That would position LBJ, who’s now 33, to potentially play with his son, Bronny—which is something the King wants to do.
We don’t yet know whether LeBron will last long enough to become one of the NBA’s Uncle Drew presences, but there are plenty of them already floating around the game today. Here are 25 players who are somehow still in the league—including a few players who are still getting serious buckets.
Joakim Noah
Every Knicks fan is ready for the Joakim Noah era to end once and for all. After this season, however, there are still two years left on his deal—that contract! Noah was a two-time All-Star (2013-14) and he won the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award in 2014. He was a dominant big man for a time with the Bulls, but fell off quickly. Now, it seems unlikely that he’ll play for the Knicks again, but no one can deny his staying power.
Arron Afflalo
Afflalo is back with the Orlando Magic, but this time around he’s a much different player. The 32-year-old has appeared in 50 games, but he’s receiving only 12.9 minutes per game and scoring only 3.3 points per game. This has beens a precipitous drop for a guy who averaged 12.8 points per game for the Knicks two seasons ago. The former UCLA Bruin can still shoot it, though—he’s hitting 39.1 percent of his three-point attempts.
Vince Carter
Vinsanity! V.C. laces them up for the Sacramento Kings these days. At 41, he’s the oldest player in the league, but he can still run with the young bloods. He’s averaging 17.9 minutes and 5.5 points per game. Though he was one of the most explosive players in NBA history as a youngster, he has rebranded himself as a solid outside shooter. The former Raptors star is hitting 35.4 percent of his three-point attempts this season.
Jason Terry
It’s incredible that the Jet, who was taken in the 1999 lottery, is still flying around the league. He gets real minutes for the Bucks, too. Terry’s numbers have dwindled every year, to the point that he now averages only 3.1 points per game, but he’s an important presence in that young locker room. His career peaked with the Mavericks in the mid-late 2000s. He won a ring with Dirk in 2011.
Andre Miller
Just kidding! He finally retired in 2016.
Manu Ginobili
One-third of the Spurs’ longtime Big Three is out of the league, as Tim Duncan retired in 2016. When will Tony Parker and Ginobili follow? That’s unclear, but the end has to be coming soon for both players. Ginobili, the 40-year-old Argentine, still has game. He’s averaging 8.8 points and 2.5 assists per game for Gregg Popovich’s Spurs. He’ll go down as one of the best sixth men in league history.
Jamal Crawford
Speaking of all-time great bench players…Jamal Crawford! He’s still cracking double figures, scoring 10.5 points per game for the young Timberwolves. Like Terry is to the Bucks, J-Crossover is a veteran leader for a young team. His scoring average has eclipsed 10 since his third season, 2002-03, with the Chicago Bulls. He’s still one of the great last-second shooters and isolation players in the league.
Richard Jefferson
Richard Jefferson, 37, is playing only 8.2 minutes per game for the Denver Nuggets. The former longtime New Jersey Nets wing won a title and played a prominent role with the Cavaliers in 2016. He likely doesn’t have much NBA life remaining, but he has a promising media career waiting. As we wrote in this piece, we believe ESPN should target R.J., who co-hosts the excellent Road Trippin’ podcast on James’ Uninterrupted network.
Udonis Haslem
Udonis is basically an assistant coach for Miami at this point. He’s playing 0.5 minutes per game and has appeared in only 13 games this season. The former Florida Gators big man has never played for another NBA team—he’s been with the Heat since he signed as an undrafted free agent in 2003. Haslem, 37, is the franchise’s all-time leading rebounder.
Nick Collison
Collison is another guy who’s stuck it out with one franchise for his whole career. The 37-year-old has seen a lot of change in his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder. When he got drafted, in fact, the team wasn’t located in OKC—they were the Seattle Supersonics. Collison saw Kevin Durant come and go, and he’s been there for Russell Westbrook’s whole career. Collison, a former first-team All-American at Kansas, has played in only 13 games this season.
Damien Wilkins
This one comes with a caveat. Dominique’s nephew has been in and out of the league since 2004. Now 38, the North Carolina native is still hanging around, though he’s currently playing for the Greensboro Swarm of the G League and hoping for one more big-league call-up. Wilkins spent five years with the Sonics/Thunder before bouncing around with various NBA and international teams. He played the first few months of the season with the Pacers before being waived in January. With 10-day contracts flying around, don’t be surprised if Wilkins picks one up.
Dirk Nowitzki
The German big man still has game, though he’s gradually slowing down. Soon to be 40, Dirk is averaging 24.8 minutes, 12.2 points, and 5.6 rebounds per game. Most importantly: he still has that beautiful stroke. Dirk is hitting an astounding 41.9 percent of his attempts from downtown. The 13-time All-Star was the ninth overall pick in the 1998 draft and has remained with Dallas ever since.
Pau Gasol
Keep getting them checks, Pau! The Spanish forward is making $16 million this year with San Antonio. He’s still a moderately effective big and floor-spacer; he’s averaging 24.0 minutes, 10.5 points, and 8.1 rebounds per game. He started for the majority of the season but has come off the bench of late. His performance in the postseason will be vital to the Spurs’ success.
Tony Allen
Allen finally plays for a team that isn’t the Celtics or Grizzlies—he’s now in his first season with the New Orleans Pelicans. He’s still a defensive menace, but has seen his opportunity drop significantly; he now plays only 12.4 minutes per game and is no longer a starter. Allen, 36, has made the All-NBA Defensive First Team three times, and he won a title with Boston in 2008.
Jameer Nelson
Man, those old St. Joseph’s teams with Jameer and Delonte West were so fun. So were the old Magic teams with Nelson, Rashard Lewis, and Dwight Howard. These days, Jameer is past his prime. The 36-year-old is reunited with Stan Van Gundy—this time in Detroit—and he’s averaging 3.7 points per game. The 2009 All-Star was one of the league’s best point guards for a stretch. St. Joe’s retired his No. 14.
Jose Calderon
Speaking of point guards who used to be great, the Spanish floor general entered the league with the Toronto Raptors in 2005, but his professional career was already well underway—he went pro internationally in 1998. Calderon remains a valuable asset as a member of the Cavs. He’s become a dead-eye shooter; he’s knocking down 46.8 percent (!) of his three-point attempts this season. Though George Hill is Cleveland’s primary floor general, Jose is vital to their success.
Devin Harris
Remember Devin Harris with the Wisconsin Badgers? He was unstoppable. The former Mavs and Nets star has bounced around the league, but he’s pieced together a very nice career. He made one All-Star team (in 2009) and recently reached 10,000 points for his career. Harris was traded to the Nuggets in early February. The 35-year-old is averaging 18.3 minutes and 8.5 points per game this season.
Emeka Okafor
Emeka, the former UConn Huskies star, was actually out of the league for four years. In 2017, he mounted a comeback effort, playing with the Delaware 87ers of the G League. Now, following DeMarcus Cousins’ unfortunate season-ending Achilles injury, Okafor is in the rotation for the New Orleans Pelicans. The 2005 Rookie of the Year is playing 15.2 minutes per game. He still has that immaculate timing, too; he’s blocking 1.2 shots per game.
Channing Frye
Frye is another co-host of the Road Trippin’ podcast, and he—like Jefferson—has a future in media. The 34-year-old was traded to the Lakers as part of Cleveland’s Isaiah Thomas-centered trade-deadline extravaganza. Frye has played in only one game with the Lakers, and his contract expires when the season ends. Will he give it one more go-round?
Jarrett Jack
Jack is one of the most beloved guys in the league. As we wrote a couple weeks ago, he played a surprisingly important role in Kevin Durant’s decision to sign with Golden State. The 34-year-old is still one of the Knicks’ best offensive threats—which isn’t saying much, but is impressive considering his age. Jack is averaging 7.6 points and 5.7 assists per game for Jeff Hornacek’s dysfunctional squad.
Aaron Brooks
Brooks, the 26th pick in the 2007 draft, has bounced around the league and even spent some time in the international circuit. These days the NBA’s 2010 Most Improved Player suits up for the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 33-year-old former Oregon Ducks standout is receiving only 5.7 points per game, and he sees the court infrequently.
Al Jefferson
Big Al! People seem to forget just how dominant Jefferson was back in the day. He made the All-NBA Third Team in 2014, and he was an absolute load in the post for the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets. He has as much “old-man game” as anyone on this list. Jefferson, a 2004 McDonald’s All-American, now plays for the Indiana Pacers. He’s averaging 6.9 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
Raymond Felton
Felton was a part of the dominant 2005 UNC Tar Heels national championship team that also featured Sean May, Rashad McCants, and Marvin Williams. Felton made the NBA’s All-Rookie Second Team in 2006, but his career has been up and down—he’s played for seven teams in his 13 years in the league. Felton now plays for the Thunder and still gets decent minutes backing up Russell Westbrook. The soon-to-be 34-year-old’s scoring average has actually increased from 6.7 to 7.0 points per game this year. I am all the way here for a Raymond Felton resurgence.
Andrew Bogut
Bogut was a key rotation guy for the Warriors during their 2015 title run, but Golden State had to let him go because of their convoluted cap situation. Since then, the former No. 1 overall pick has suited up for the Mavericks, Cavs (well, sort of), and Lakers. He played in only 23 games this year and averaged 1.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. He’s had a solid 13-year career and made the All-NBA Third Team in 2010. Bogut chose to sit out the rest of this season and is now looking for his next destination.
Jason Smith
The 7-foot former Colorado State standout, who was taken No. 20 in the 2007 draft, has carved out a career in the NBA with the 76ers, Hornets/Pelicans, Knicks, Magic, and now the Wizards. Smith has played in only 29 games this season, though, and he’s averaging a career-low 3.3 points per game. After 10 decent years in the league, it looks like Smith is close to hanging them up, but he’s under contract through the 2018-19 season.
Luol Deng
Poor Luol Deng. This dude gets blamed for his contract, but it’s not his fault the Lakers wanted to shell out a ton of money for his services. As we mentioned in the Pau section: keep getting them checks, Luol! The Sudan native was a standout at Duke, and he made two All-Star teams (2012-13). He showed some late-career life with the Heat from 2014-16, which led to his massive deal with L.A., but at this point he’s just a roster spot and cap hit for the Lakers, who have decided against playing the 32-year-old.