Who Was The Oldest NBA Player Ever?
The oldest player in NBA history is Nat Hickey, who was born on August 17, 1896. Hickey played for the Providence Steamrollers in the Basketball Association of America during the 1947-48 season.
NBA players by age
In order to be eligible to play in the NBA, a player must be at least 19 years of age during the calendar year of the draft in which he is eligible. The oldest player ever to play in the NBA was Nat Hickey, who was born on August 30, 1896 and played his final game on April 23, 1948, when he was 51 years old.
List of the oldest NBA players
At 42 years and 158 days, Robert Parish became the oldest player in NBA history when he retired in 1997. A few months later, Kevin Willis passed Parish when he played in a game at the age of 42 years and 229 days. Dirty Dick Barnett, who played until he was 44, is technically the oldest player ever, but his last game came in 1971, when the ABA and NBA had not yet merged. Satch Sanders, who also played until he was 44, is the oldest player whose entire career came after the merger. Parish and Willis are thus the oldest players in the modern era of the NBA. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is third on this list: he retired from the league at age 42 years and 6 days.
On the other side of things, Andrew Bynum is currently the youngest player in NBA history. He was born on October 27th, 1987, which made him just 18 years and 6 days old when he made his debut on December 18th, 2005. Kobe Bryant eclipsed Bynum’s record when he was still only 18 years and 72 days old on November 3rd, 1996; LeBron James did the same thing a few weeks later on December 30th at 18 years and 86 days old.
A handful of players have come close to breaking Bynum’s record over the past few years. Amir Johnson was 19 years and 2 days old when he made his debut on November 3rd, 2005; Monta Ellis was 19 years and 5 days old when he debuted on November 10th, 2005; Andrew Bogut was 19 years and 6 days old when he took the court for the first time on November 11th; Tyreke Evans was 19 years and 8 days old when he made his debut on November 3rd, 2009; th e very same day, Brandon Jennings was 19 years and 8 days old when he made his first appearance in an NBA game.
List of the youngest NBA players
At 43, Dirk Nowitzki became the oldest player in NBA history to score 30 or more points in a game.
The following is a list of youngest players in NBA history:
-Andrew Bynum was the youngest player in NBA history, appearing in a game at 18 years and 6 days old.
-Kobe Bryant was the second-youngest player in NBA history when he was drafted at 18 years old.
-LeBron James is the third-youngest player in NBA history, appearing in his first game at 18 years and 2 days old.
-Dwight Howard is the fourth-youngest player in NBA history, appearing in his first game at 18 years and 3 days old.
NBA players and their longevity
The NBA has seen its fair share of players come and go throughout the years. Some players have stuck around for longer than others. In fact, the oldest NBA player ever is Marvin Webster.
What factors contribute to a long NBA career?
While some NBA players seem to age like fine wine and just keep getting better with time, others fizzle out relatively quickly. So what separates the two groups? Is it good genes? Training methods? Maybe a combination of the two?
Most experts agree that it’s a bit of everything. While some players are born with physical gifts that give them an advantage, others make up for it with hard work and dedication.
Here are some of the factors that experts say contribute to a long NBA career:
-Good genes: Some players are simply born with physical gifts that help them compete at a high level for longer. Examples include LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, who both have freakish athleticism and durability.
-Dedication to training: Many NBA players have strict workout regimes and take care of their bodies off the court. This helps them stay in shape and reduces the risk of injuries. Ex-Boston Celtics player Paul Pierce is a good example; even at the age of 39, he still takes care of his body and works out regularly.
-Avoiding serious injuries: One of the biggest factors in longevity is being able to avoid serious injuries. Some players are just plain unlucky, while others seem to have a knack for staying healthy. Future Hall-of-Famer Dirk Nowitzki is an example of the latter; despite playing over 1,500 games in his 21-year career, he’s only missed significant time due to injury once (during the 2014-15 season).
-Intelligence: Another important factor is basketball IQ; players who can adapt their game as they get older tend to have longer careers. For example, future Hall-of-Famer Vince Carter is still going strong at the age of 42 because he’s adjusted his game over the years and now relies more on outside shooting than athleticism.
Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule. Some players seem destined for greatness from an early age, while others fade away into obscurity despite having all the physical gifts in the world. In the end, it’s up to each individual player to make the most of their talents and strive for a long and successful NBA career.
What do the oldest NBA players have in common?
The oldest NBA players ever share some commonalities. They were all born in the early 1900s, played for a long time, and retired after lengthy careers.
Here are some of the oldest NBA players ever:
-Robert Parish: The center played for 21 seasons in the NBA, the longest career of any player in league history. He was born in 1953 and played until he was 43 years old.
-Kevin Willis: The power forward played for 21 seasons in the NBA, the second-longest career of any player in league history. He was born in 1962 and played until he was 42 years old.
-Karl Malone: The power forward played for 19 seasons in the NBA, the third-longest career of any player in league history. He was born in 1963 and played until he was 41 years old.
-Reggie Miller: The shooting guard played for 18 seasons in the NBA, the fourth-longest career of any player in league history. He was born in 1965 and played until he was 40 years old.
-Dirk Nowitzki: The power forward is currently playing his 19th season in the NBA, tied for the third-longest career of any player in league history. He was born in 1978 and is currently 40 years old.
The oldest NBA player ever
The oldest player in NBA history is Nat Hickey. He was born on August 18, 1896, and died on February 5, 1992. He played for the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, and Philadelphia Warriors.
Who was the oldest NBA player ever?
The oldest player in NBA history is Nat Hickey, who played for the Providence Steamrollers during the 1947-48 season. Hickey was born in 1897 and was 49 years old when he appeared in four games for the Steamrollers. He averaged 1.5 points per game and is the only player over the age of 45 to appear in an NBA game.
How old was the oldest NBA player ever?
The oldest player in NBA history is Nat Hickey, who was born on August 17, 1896. Hickey played for the Providence Steamrollers during the 1947-48 season and was 50 years old at the time.
What was the oldest NBA player ever’s career like?
At 45 years and 63 days old, Nat Hickey is the oldest player ever to play in an NBA game. The center/forward played his final game with the Syracuse Nationals on April 12, 1948. He finished his NBA career with 1,059 points and 844 rebounds in 217 games.
Hickey began his professional basketball career in 1924 with the New Bedford Whalers of the American Basketball League. He also played for the Hartford Connecticut Mohicans and Springfield Sayers clubs before joining the Syracuse Nationals in 1946. In his two seasons with the Nationals, Hickey averaged 4.1 points per game.