What NBA players could play at age 45 to 50? + Wilt VS Magic

[jongib369]

What NBA players could play after the age of 45+ and be effective? (of course nothing like their former selves) We all know Jordan was able to do some amazing things at the age of 40, but what about 5 years later if he gave his body a break?

Wilt- age 51 1987-Known to still be running marathons, and weight lift having an amazing bench press. Not going to throw in numbers

http://marshallmatlock.com/wp-content/gallery/annie-leibovitz-at-work-again/willie%20shoemaker%20and%20wilt%20chamberlain,%20m alibu,%20ca,%201987.%20by%20annie%20leibovitz.png


NBA.COM VIDEO LARRY BROWN 'TALKS ABOUT MAGIC VS WILT

http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nba_tv/2012/04/14/20120414_brown_magic_wilt.nba/index.html

Playing days


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iddZIfdr2WE/T3TAnn9rzhI/AAAAAAAAGJE/-iwnak668T0/s1600/Hoops+A+Night+to+Remember+Wilt+Chamberlain.jpg









Karl malone- age 49 2012- Obviously putting the power in power forward still


http://espn.kall700sports.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Karl-studio-03.jpg





Playing days

http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/329138/a_malone_i_medium.jpg


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VzlQLbXz7I


Michael Jordan- Age 49 2012

http://unlocked.footlocker.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/002-michael-jordan-ftlotg.jpg

43 points age 40

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TkvX356cpQ




Playing days-

http://air-jordan-release-dates.com/images/1989_michael-jordan_millan.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veO0furYNwE


That's my short list, what's yours!?

[jongib369]

Just to stress I don't think any of these players would start...unless they were on the bobcats :D

[b1imtf]

http://marshallmatlock.com/wp-content/gallery/annie-leibovitz-at-work-again/willie%20shoemaker%20and%20wilt%20chamberlain,%20m alibu,%20ca,%201987.%20by%20annie%20leibovitz.png



Wilt vs a center from his era

[jongib369]

Wilt vs a center from his era
hey give Nate Thurmond some credit! you shrink with age

http://msn.foxsports.com/id/10007876


:lol

[get these NETS]

Magic's game ages better


slower heavier Magic playing point forward was still an effective player


Wilt would simply get outrun by younger quicker centers...marathons are great but not the same thing as intermittent sprints up and down the hardwood

[b1imtf]

hey give Nate Thurmond some credit! you shrink with age

http://msn.foxsports.com/id/10007876


:lol
Haha jk

[jongib369]

Magic's game ages better


slower heavier Magic playing point forward was still an effective player


Wilt would simply get outrun by younger quicker centers...marathons are great but not the same thing as intermittent sprints up and down the hardwood
I respect your opinion but I have to disagree with you...I'm not dissing Kareem here but I'm sure he wouldnt run any slower than Kareem did his last few seasons...Or Mark Eaton etc etc...ofcourse he would be outmatched at that age but I still think guards would be hesitant to drive on him...not that guys like MJ couldnt get over him...I just think with his length (wingspan 7'8, standing reach in shoes about 9'7..long that yao) would be an obstacle for anyone.


Granted this is at age 36 but hes still skying

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhXzPvmCfVI&feature=g-user-u


NOT saying he would destroy the league at that age or anything...In his prime is another argument :D

[jongib369]

Haha jk
lol I know :cheers:

[Smoke117]

Scottie Pippen is 46 now and could probably come back and play and be effective in some limited role off the bench. Length makes up a lot for the loss of quickness and speed.

[jongib369]

Scottie Pippen is 46 now and could probably come back and play and be effective in some limited role off the bench. Length makes up a lot for the loss of quickness and speed.
I haven't seen him play since but I wouldn't put it past him as a reserve roll! I could see Dennis Rodman at age 45 ripping down a decent amount of boards still

[jlauber]

How many other players were ROUTINELY courted in their 40's? And how many other players were offered a LEGITIMATE contract to play at age 50?

[jongib369]

How many other players were ROUTINELY courted in their 40's? And how many other players were offered a LEGITIMATE contract to play at age 50?
haha exactly...If an NBA team was after him in the 80s he was still a legitmate NBA talent even at that age

People talk about the longevity of Karl malone and Kareem...But I give it to Wilt

[jlauber]

haha exactly...If an NBA team was after him in the 80s he was still a legitmate NBA talent even at that age

People talk about the longevity of Karl malone and Kareem...But I give it to Wilt

I won't take the time to look up the quotes now, but none other than Larry Brown witnessed a mid-40's Chamberlain dominate a summer league game that featured Magic Johnson.

And, while it is no longer on YouTube, there existed an interview with Kiki Vandewege in which he claimed he saw an irate mid-40's Chamberlain just physically punish the 7-4 Mark Eaton and then capped it off with a viscious dunk right in his face.

And, once again, Chamberlain was offered a LEGITIMATE contract at age 50.

[Owl]

In addition to the listed (though I'd question MJ, from what I heard he let himself go after his 2nd retirement and I'd imagine he's done so again after his third, plus it's harder for perimeter players, perhaps athletic wings more than any other position).

Kevin Willis. Because he nearly did it.
Robert Parish. Because he nearly did it.
Dikembe Mutombo. Because he nearly did it (and some people probably think he did it because people weren't convinced about his his age and date of birth)
John Stockton. Played to 41 anyway. He never really fell off (put up a PER of 21 in the season he turned 41). Was never really about quicks as much as smarts.

For others who might be possibilities I'd say Danny Manning a player who was all about the basketball IQ anyway, played a long time and for a spell with the Suns (after both knees had gone) played near enough as well as he ever had before. Arydas Sabonis because his body was like that of a 50 year old anyway, how much worse could it get, like Manning he'd still have skills and IQ, plus his giant paws for passing and hand offs and his giant body. You might look at Bird, Walton and Maravich as other skill not athleticism types, though the more I think about the injury hit guys the more you do worry whether they were healthy going forward post NBA.

Bill Sharman, Steve Kerr and Mark Price. Great shooters. Shooting doesn't really age (I guess your legs are affected but so long as you know how high you're jumping rather than a sudden change after injury). I mean the best free throw shooters in the world are retirees who dedicate themselves to it. Sharman's numbers never really fell off per minute or in terms of PER, and he was a fitness fanatic in a way that made him before his time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oldest_and_youngest_National_Basketball_As sociation_players

Techinically Nat Hickey did it although it was for an awful team in the earliest days of the league. Also it seems he played only one game, shot 0 for 6, got 2 points and 5 fouls.
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hickena01.html
A glorious career. :bowdown:

[get these NETS]

And, while it is no longer on YouTube, there existed an interview with Kiki Vandewege in which he claimed he saw an irate mid-40's Chamberlain just physically punish the 7-4 Mark Eaton and then capped it off with a viscious dunk right in his face.

And, once again, Chamberlain was offered a LEGITIMATE contract at age 50.

mark eaton......the very definition of a stiff

[jongib369]

mark eaton......the very definition of a stiff
Yeah but give him credit lol... 5.6 BBG

[waseem780]

reggie miller , skinny 3-pt shooter. he'll probably be like a Steve Novak in the league though

[jongib369]

I won't take the time to look up the quotes now, but none other than Larry Brown witnessed a mid-40's Chamberlain dominate a summer league game that featured Magic Johnson.

And, while it is no longer on YouTube, there existed an interview with Kiki Vandewege in which he claimed he saw an irate mid-40's Chamberlain just physically punish the 7-4 Mark Eaton and then capped it off with a viscious dunk right in his face.

And, once again, Chamberlain was offered a LEGITIMATE contract at age 50.
Sent you a message, check it out...Im assuming that video was on Wiltatkansas/phillydippy?

[jongib369]

reggie miller , skinny 3-pt shooter. he'll probably be like a Steve Novak in the league though
I could easily see Reggie coming off the bench hitting some 3's. Thanks for the post

[Kobe 4 The Win]

Magic Johnson's game is the type that doesn't rely on atheticism.

Rodman was a genetic freak who coulda played to age 50 and been fine.

Wilt looked like he could have playered to age 50.

Probably Jordan but it would be tough to play SG at that age.

Kareem's production had dipped by age 42 but a few more years wouldn't have made much difference.

Maybe Karl Malone if he could keep from getting injured.

[scandisk_]

Barkley :lol

Hakeem @49 can still work some minutes coming off the bench. Provide a lil' help on offense, grab boards and probably play some defense too.

[Mach_3]

Jesus Shuttlesworth if his ankles don't explode in the near future :lol

[Xiao Yao You]

John Stockton. Played to 41 anyway. He never really fell off (put up a PER of 21 in the season he turned 41). Was never really about quicks as much as smarts.

Last I heard he was still setting a mean screen. He was a lot more athletic than he gets credit for being white and all.


Yeah but give him credit lol... 5.6 BBG


Give him credit for being big? He was clueless. They taught him to keep his arms up. He could hardly follow the ball around the floor. He'd turn around and they'd throw the ball off his hand. It took a while for the Jazz to adjust after he was done but they reached new heights eventually once he was gone. I'm guessing Karl and John swiping at balls from behind was developed when they didn't have to worry about their man getting past them because the wall was at the rim.


Maybe Karl Malone if he could keep from getting injured.

That would be the concern of anyone as they get older. He was never hurt til the end so he's less fragile than about anyone along with Stockton.

[jongib369]

Barkley :lol

Hakeem @49 can still work some minutes coming off the bench. Provide a lil' help on offense, grab boards and probably play some defense too.
I could see hakeem! He loosk good in those training videos still...Not what he was obviously but still better than a lot of centers today :lol

[pejavelin]

robert parish played until he was 45 right, i guess teams thought he could help them somehow.

if healthy big men would be the best suited seeing as the league has less and less big men and they are not based on athleticism. I bet a guard cannot play effectively into his mid 40s

[jlauber]

Barkley :lol

Hakeem @49 can still work some minutes coming off the bench. Provide a lil' help on offense, grab boards and probably play some defense too.

Hakeem was WASHED UP at age 39.

Hell, he couldn't even beat an 11 year old one-on-one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsWE3NrTWZA