List of the oldest players in the NBA retired and right now

List of the oldest players in the NBA retired and right now

Who are the oldest players in the NBA right now and retired? The National Basketball Association, just like any other sport, has its rules. Age in the league is one of the most critical factors. Generally, players are drafted at 19 years old because they tend to be more athletic. They retire after around 10 seasons. However, in some instances, some athletes have defied age and played for their teams longer, leaving exceptional legacies behind.

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nba's oldest players
Nat Hickey is NBA's oldest player ever. Photo: @markusspiske
Source: UGC

The standard retirement age in the NBA is 50 years; however, some may retire as early as 45 years based on the productivity levels. In most instances, most players retire in their mid-thirties, which is very normal. Udonis Haslem happens to be the oldest person in the NBA right now, but he is still doing great than many young athletes. Read on to know more about other active and retired oldest NBA players.

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List of the oldest players in the NBA history

The NBA's oldest players list comprises persons between ages 41 and 45. The majority of them are currently pursuing different or NBA-related careers. They include:

10. Charles Jones – 41 years

oldest person in the nba
Charles Jones in action during the game against the Washington Wizards at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C. The Wizards defeated the Bull 93-91. Mandatory: Doug Pensinger /Allsport
Source: Getty Images

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Charles Jones is a former professional NBA player. He was born on 3rd April 1957. During his active career, he played for seven teams. He played for the Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago Bulls, Washington Bullets, Detroit Pistons, and Huston Rockets. Interestingly, he played his last game on 3rd May 1988.

9. John Stockton – 41 years

oldest nba player alive
John Stockton of the Utah Jazz with the ball during a National Basketball Association game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. Photo: Matt A. Brown/Icon Sportswire
Source: Getty Images

John Stockton is another oldest living NBA player. He was born on 26th March 1962. In 1984, he was drafted into the NBA by Utah Jazz. The point guard stayed in the team for 19 years, averaging 13.1 points. He played his last game on 30th April 2003.

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8. Herb Williams – 41 years

oldest person in the nba
Former NBA player Herb Williams attends T.J. Martell Foundation's 16th Annual New York Family Day at Brooklyn Bowl on December 13, 2015 in New York City. Photo: Paul Zimmerman
Source: Getty Images

Herbert L. Williams was born on 16th February 1958 in Columbus, Ohio, United States. He made his NBA debut on 30th October 1981 with the Indiana Pacers. Apart from playing for the Indiana Pacers, Herb Williams played for Dallas Maverick, New York Knicks, and Toronto Raptors. In total, he was in the league for 18 years.

7. Bob Cousy – 41 years

oldest living nba player
President Donald Trump presents the Medal of Freedom to retired Boston Celtic Bob Cousy in the Oval Office at the White House on August 22, 2019 in Washington, DC. Photo: Mark Wilson
Source: Getty Images

Bob Cousy was born on 9th August 1928. He was drafted into the NBA in November 1950. The point guard wore the jerseys of the Boston Celtics and Cincinnati Royals. He hanged his boots after 14 years in the noble basketball league. Overall, he averaged 18.4 points in 924 games.

6. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 42 years

who is the oldest player in the nba
American basketball player Kareem Abdul Jabbar (born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr), of the Los Angeles Lakers, lines up a shot, in September 1982. Photo by Camerique
Source: Getty Images

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is among the best athletes to have played in the NBA. He is among the top scorers in the league. In total, Kareem played professional basketball for around 20 years. He averaged 24.6 points in 1560 games.

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5. Dikembe Mutombo – 42 years

nba's oldest players
Dikembe Mutombo arrives at the Houston Sports Awards on February 8, 2018 in Houston, Texas. Photo: Rick Kern
Source: Getty Images

Dikembe Mutombo is a former Congolese-American player. He was born on 25th June 1966 in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The star was drafted into the league in 1991 by Denver Nuggets. He played his last game on 21st April 2009.

4. Vince Carter – 43 years

oldest person in the nba
Vince Carter of the Atlanta Hawks dunks and scores his 25,000th NBA point in the final seconds of their 124-108 loss to the Toronto Raptors on November 21, 2018. Photo: Kevin C. Cox
Source: Getty Images

Vincent Lamar Carter Jr. was born on 26th January 1977 in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. He made his NBA career debut in 1998 with Golden State Warriors. When was Vince Carter's last game? The shooting guard played his last game against the New York Knicks on 11th March 2020. He had stayed in the league for around 22 years.

3. Robert Parish – 43 years

oldest nba player alive
Boston Celtics' centre Robert Parish #00 stands sweating on the court. Photo: Focus on Sport
Source: Getty Images

Robert Parish is a renowned NBA player born on 30th August 1953. The legendary star joined the premium basketball league in October 1976. During his career, he represented four teams; Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, and Chicago Bulls. He played his last game on 11th May 1997. He averaged 12.1 points in 1424 games.

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2. Kevin Willis – 44 years

nba's oldest players
Kevin Willis of the Houston Rockets during the game against the Miami Heat on March 5, 1998, at Compaq Center in Houston, Texas. Photo: Sporting News
Source: Getty Images

Kevin Alvin Willis was born on 6 September 1962 in Los Angeles, California, United States. The 7-foot power forward was drafted into the NBA in 1984. In total, he was played in the league for 21 years. He retired from professional basketball on 18th April 2007.

1. Nat Hickey – 45 years

who is the oldest player in the nba
Nat Hickey is the oldest National Basketball Association player in history. Photo: @br_stats
Source: Getty Images

Who is the oldest player in NBA history? It is Nat Hickey. The legendary star was born on 30th January 1902 in Korčula, Croatia. During his time, he played for 13 teams. He would then coach five teams before retiring in 1951. In total, he was in the league for around 28 years. Currently, he is regarded as the oldest person in NBA history.

List of the oldest players in the NBA right now

At the moment, the oldest active NBA player is around 41 years old. However, he is in good shape and has demonstrated exceptional skills time and again. The list includes the players’ current ages and teams.

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  1. Udonis Haslem (9th June 1980, 41 years) - Miami Heat
  2. Joe Johnson (29th June 1981, 40 years) Boston Celtics
  3. Andre Tyler Iguodala (28th January 1984, 38 years) - Golden State Warriors
  4. Carmelo Anthony (29th May 1984, 37 years) - Los Angeles Lakers
  5. LeBron James (30th December 1984, 37 years) - Los Angeles Lakers
  6. Paul Millsap (10th February 1985, 37 years) - Philadelphia 76ers
  7. Christopher Emmanuel Paul (6th May 1985, 36 years) - Phoenix Suns
  8. Taj Gibson (24th June 1985, 36 years) - New York Knicks
  9. Trevor Ariza (30th June 1985 (age 36 years) - Los Angeles Lakers
  10. Kyle Terrell Lowry (25th March 1986, 36 years) - Miami Heat

Indeed, age is just a number. Many athletes have demonstrated outstanding skills on the court, even in their late forties. While most retire in their mid-thirties, some overstayed in the league, retiring at the age of 45, such as Nat Hickey. At the moment, Udonis Haslem of the Miami Heat happens to be among the oldest players in the NBA. Many would expect him to be rusty, but he has proven them wrong time and again with his impressive skills and talent.

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Rodah Mogeni (Lifestyle writer) She is a content creator with more than 4 years of experience. She graduated from Chuka University with a BA degree in Journalism and Mass Communication (2023). She joined Briefly in 2019. Rodah has been working as a health/fitness writer at BetterMe (since 2020), London Brokers, The Hoth, and Ardor Content. In 2023, Rodah finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. Her email is rodahmugeni998@gmail.com