NBA Myth: NBA players peak at 25 ish

[tgan3]

Article on NBA player's peaks:
http://wagesofwins.com/nba-players-age-like-milk/

This is what the article claims. But I believe it is very narrow thinking by the writer who thinks that stats=being more skilled/wins, and throws the big picture out the window. I do believe that production decreases as one get older but it might not mean the skill level decreases, as an older player will play more teamwork, a slower pace and have more smarts.

The reason to back this claim is that looking at past championship teams, they tend to be older.

The 2013-14 Spurs have an average age of 28.5 years old. (5th oldest team in the league) Its "big 3" are 38yo (Duncan), 36yo (Ginobili) and 32yo (Parker).

The 2012-13 Miami Heat were the OLDEST team in the league at 31.2 yo.

The 2011-12 Heat were also pretty old at 28.9 yo. (3rd oldest team)

The 2010-11 Dallas Mavericks were 29.4yo. 3rd oldest.

There is a VERY STRONG correlation between an old and experienced team and rings here.

In fact young teams usually suck quite badly, just take this years Sixers (23.7yo) for example, they are the youngest and worst team in the league.Another two teams this year that are at the so called "NBA peak age of 25" Jazz (24.9yo) and magic (25yo) are also horrible teams.
If the peak age of NBA players is 25-26 as this writer claims, we should have younger teams winning championships, but sadly no...

Thoughts?

[ZenMaster]

Athletes competing in team sports generally peak around 27-29 years old.

[Young X]

Around 27-28. Best combination of athleticism and mentality amongst athletes.

Shaq was 28 in 2000
Magic was 28 in 1987
Jordan was 28 in 1991
KG was 28 in 2004
Kobe was 28 in 2006
Bron was 28 in 2013
Duncan was 27 in 2003

[hawksdogsbraves]

How is this a myth? The consensus 'peak' age for NBA players has always been 27-29.

[tgan3]

How is this a myth? The consensus 'peak' age for NBA players has always been 27-29.

NBA players are downhill after 25:
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748703478704574612553424283372

Do NBA players peak at 24?
http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=67429.0

NBA players age like milk: (Peak age 25-26)
http://wagesofwins.com/nba-players-age-like-milk/

[bl2k8]

How is this a myth? The consensus 'peak' age for NBA players has always been 27-29.
because the article says 25, which is just not true

[Bodhi]

The articles are using wins produced to judge performance which is far and away the worst and least predictive advanced stat in use. Wins produced is even less predictive than PER, which makes no attempt to account for defense.

Just ignore anything using wins produced and you'll be better off

[Bodhi]

For example, here they say Robert Horry was the best player in the playoffs for the Lakers 3peat and Kobe was fourth

wagesofwins.com/2013/03/11/the-myth-of-the-kobe-and-shaq-rings

[played0ut]

Lol speaking about age and experience. During Magic Johnson's short stint as coach he had to handle an entire team filled with arrogant young bucks who wouldn't listen.

So he whoops their asses :oldlol:

[quote=Book]
Their reaction was muted, save a yawn from Elden Campbell. It wasn't as though Cooper was an unknown name from the past. He was an assistant coach, working with the Lakers every day. On the way out to the floor, one of the players murmured, "Who gives a shit about Showtime?"

The 1993

[iamgine]

Can't just take average age. Gotta take minutes played into account, especially playoff minutes.

For example, 2013-2014 Spurs average age would be 29.6 with the adjusted average age.


79-80 Lakers could be the youngest winner with adjusted average age of 25.7.

[Akrazotile]

For example, here they say Robert Horry was the best player in the playoffs for the Lakers 3peat and Kobe was fourth

wagesofwins.com/2013/03/11/the-myth-of-the-kobe-and-shaq-rings


Sounds right :confusedshrug:

[hawksdogsbraves]

because the article says 25, which is just not true

One, (or four) articles does not a myth make.

Physical peak in pretty much all team sports is considered 26-29. The idea that NBA players peak at 25 is just an opinion, and an unpopular one at that.

[magnax1]

There is a correlation between age and winning because
1-Players who are old are good enough to stay in the league despite their age.
2-older players are generally cheaper so you can stack more talent with older guys. For example a 30 year old guy as good as Gordon Hayward would never get the max

[magnax1]

As for peak age it really depends. TMac did at 23 (injuries I guess) Malone at 35 or so. Most guys do from 25-30.

[brooks_thompson]

I think it's more a function of experience as measured by minutes played, and the intersection of that number with the starting point of athletic decline. Depending on the level of athletetic dependency and body discipline (take Nash & K. Malone for examples), players may peak later or extend their prime years.

But certainly, 27-29 is the generally accepted range.

[GimmeThat]

I think a lot has to do with the average age of the team, or even the dynamic of the difference in age in terms of roster.

being the young guy playing with a bunch of veterans helps.
but then going from playing with a bunch of savy veterans to players who hasn't had that same experience can also be extremely frustrating.

while keeping a core group of young players with a few veterans has been a formula to advance in the playoffs, and not nessecarily winning a championship.

teams have had better luck at having a group of veterans and a few young players in winning a championship.

with the first group seemed to have a bright future, and not nessecarily championship material
the second group faces continuous possibility of championship or bust, and when it busts, it puts the team in a pretty tough situation to re-build.

of course, conventional wisdom tells us, you'd have that core group of player in the first group, then your team should really be able to compete in that 27-29 category, then explore the possibilities after that.

[ralph_i_el]

A lot of these articles aren't taking into consideration that some good players have catastrophic injuries that prevent then from reaching their real peak.

[BrentISballin]

how players eat, take care of themselves have a lot to do with where they peak . Age really is just a number in some cases

[AlphaWolf24]

Peak what?


- Physically?.....IMO most athletes peak physically in their 18 - 25 year range....

By the the time most athletes/humans reach the age close to 30....athleticism /strength and cardio starts to drop.


But in Basketball/especially Pro Basketball there are so many factors...90% of all NBA players are elite athletes....great players have to work hard and develop their games to constantly stay on top.

- for every MJ, Shaq,Kobe,Lebron....their are thousands of Owen's,Murray's,Wright's and Jackson's....( Players that never get better after the age of 24...or players that break down at the age of 28 and are out of the league)

- It seems like the true greats who play basketball, usually have the physical and the mental ( mental = the understanding of how to play at the highest level through working on their skillset and developing their game) in between the mid to late 20's....25 - 30+ year range.





Spurs are a great team because they have a great core of players that have played thousands of hours together.....with a great coach and great system.

Tim Duncan is no where near his peak physically and no where near a better BBALL player then he was at 22 - 25 years old.....lol....but his mental stage ( through countless of hours of practice/game scenarios) makes it much easier to play with his team.