As old as Reggie, Duncan, Jordan, Kg, Dirk, and Ewing types looked at the end....

[Kblaze8855]

...Vince:



https://thumbs.gfycat.com/PowerlessInsignificantBellfrog-size_restricted.gif


is two to three years older than all of them were right now.


None of the top picks from the 2018 draft were even alive for his draft aside from Ayton who was 3 weeks old. Hes been(relative to who he was) washed up for like 10 years. But still making his threes. Still able to contribute. We used to talk so much shit about him being brittle and how he wouldnt last....

And here he is still going. Im not saying those others couldnt have dragged on if they were willing to be role players...im just saying its weird that Half man half a season is still out here dunking waaaaaay past the age most guys look flabby and sick.


Vince is 3 years older than Ewing is right here;

http://i64.tinypic.com/2zgxf8j.jpg



And Ewing looks older than your grandmas hen cooking pot.




He was still jumping like a high schooler at 38:


http://i68.tinypic.com/5wmd8m.jpg


Never know how it goes is all im saying.

Some of these young freaks we think cant maintain might stick around till 2042.

Gives me hope for Derrick Rose.

[eliteballer]

Everyone you cited in the title played heavy, heavy regular season and playoff minutes their entire careers. Can't say the same for Vince.

A lot of Duncan's longevity is that he didn't play more than 30 mpg after 34.

[eliteballer]

Also regarding that picture, Vince has a ridiculously long wingspan, easily longer than Kobe or Jordans.

I don't know what the exact measurement is, but it's got be at least on par with Wades.

[Kblaze8855]

Everyone you cited in the title played heavy, heavy regular season and playoff minutes their entire careers. Can't say the same for Vince.

A lot of Duncan's longevity is that he didn't play more than 30 mpg after 34.


You were here back then. A lot of us were talking like he wouldn

[eliteballer]

[QUOTE=Kblaze8855]You were here back then. A lot of us were talking like he wouldn

[tpols]

Vince carter has been moving in slow motion since like 2004. His arms are so long he could probably dunk without jumping

[Kblaze8855]

Im not sure when he lost it but it wasnt in 04. This was 05:

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/SparseFarflungBelugawhale-size_restricted.gif

[jstern]

I remember around 2007, on the radio during a game the play by play guys saying, "Kids, this guy used to dunk..." And it freaked me out a little that they were talking of him in the past. That all of a sudden he's not the Vince Carter of old and it's all down hill from now. That prime years are only a small window.

[andgar923]

Combination of genes, game rules and position, modern day training and medicine and luck.

Naturally you gotta have great genes to be an athletic freak like him. But also those genes helped him maintain some athleticism late in his career.

The game changed during his era. The game became less and less physical, his position allowed him to roam without much physical contact over the years. Im sure that helped with the wear and tear but more importantly helped him avoid contact that could've led to a serious injury.

He benefitted from modern day training and medicine that past players didn't. Which helped him maintain in shape longer and stay healthier. Nagging injuries that would've sidelined past players for weeks or months were treated and done with in a fraction.

Of course... LUCK. He's lucky that he didn't have a freak accident/injury that caused him some serious shit.

[Phoenix]

Vince gracefully transitioned to role player status in a way Melo and A.I never did, and as we've come to now see his IQ and feel for the game is higher than we may have given him credit for when he was jumping over everyone.

[eliteballer]

Can Vince move like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8lgmv-3FK4&t=0m43s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8lgmv-3FK4&t=0m55s

[Kblaze8855]

Vince was never quick as Jordan.

That said....he

[eliteballer]

[QUOTE=Kblaze8855]Vince was never quick as Jordan.

That said....he

[egokiller]

Still able to contribute. We used to talk so much shit about him being brittle and how he wouldnt last....

And here he is still going.

Oh look, another player from a generation that was grittier still able to thrive in this shit, soft, special snowflake watered down league. That you for proving what has been said all along.

Winning 2 rings in today's soft league is like winning 1 back then. :applause:

I mean even Andre Miller was able to play 80 games a season while starting for 11 seasons. 632 games in a row. Imagine if he played in today's soft league. He would shatter his old record.

[jstern]

Oh look, another player from a generation that was grittier still able to thrive in this shit, soft, special snowflake watered down league. That you for proving what has been said all along.

Winning 2 rings in today's soft league is like winning 1 back then. :applause:

I mean even Andre Miller was able to play 80 games a season while starting for 11 seasons. 632 games in a row. Imagine if he played in today's soft league. He would shatter his old record.

Everyone gets the same advantages. If the rules were made softer to improve perimeter scoring, then it benefits all teams. The point being that it should still be as difficult to win a championship in a softer league as in a tougher one.

It's like the law of conservation.

[fsvr54]

He still has pivotal plays in some games that the Hawks have won. Dude still has some impact. His biggest impact though is in the locker room. Vince has always been focused on living healthy so he has aged gracefully. Dunked the hell out of the ball two games ago too and had a crazy layup in the paint.

[bison]

Gives me inspiration that I can still be fit and fly after 40.

[jbryan1984]

If he plays just ONE more season, I believe he will be the first person to play in the NBA in four different decades. Pretty sure nobody has done it. Kareem would of if he played one more year.

[ShawkFactory]

Obviously the fact that he's become almost purely a jumpshooter the last 5-6 has played into the longevity. He can still do things in the lane but that hasn't been his game in a long time.

And as for his athleticism...he's one of the great leapers who have ever played the game. That isn't gonna just completely go away when as he hits 40. One of the GOAT leapers at 40 is still average for a professional player.

He's a great guy who just a has a relaxed demeanor about him too. No doubt that plays a role in his aging well.

[warriorfan]

[tpols]

Im not sure when he lost it but it wasnt in 04. This was 05:

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/SparseFarflungBelugawhale-size_restricted.gif


Yea I was a nets fan back then when they had kidd. That shit had me hyped.

[Charlie Sheen]

this just happened... https://twitter.com/HawksOnFSSE/status/1101671288274182144

[SamuraiSWISH]

Let’s be honest, Jordan actually look really good in the 2002 season as a 39-year-old before the knee injury set him back.

And that’s with losing a month or two of training camp because Ron Artest broke his ribs.

He was the only player besides young in his prime Kobe putting up 25/5/5. That’s crazy.

That was purely off skill and savy as well. He no longer had explosion, burst, blinding quickness, let alone leaping ability. Not to mention he was probably 10 to 15 pounds heavier than when he had last played for Chicago.

[OldSchoolBBall]

If he plays just ONE more season, I believe he will be the first person to play in the NBA in four different decades. Pretty sure nobody has done it. Kareem would of if he played one more year.

That would be pretty crazy. :eek:

[SamuraiSWISH]

Vince carter has been moving in slow motion since like 2004. His arms are so long he could probably dunk without jumping
That

[Phoenix]

[QUOTE=SamuraiSWISH]That

[eliteballer]

[QUOTE=SamuraiSWISH]That

[SamuraiSWISH]

Uh..yes he was.

Just not compared to the top tier quickness guys.
But that

[eliteballer]

[QUOTE=SamuraiSWISH]But that

[pauk]

Reggie didnt jump/run that much different at 38 and 28 imo.... you can see the difference in athleticism between prime VC & current VC faaaaaaaaaaaaar more than you can with prime Reggie/38 year old Reggie...

Actually i would go as far as to say Reggie looked the least different to his prime self athletically at 38 than those other names you mentioned.... I mean, Reggie and athleticism? He could barely dunk, forever... was a marathon running catch n shoot guy, forever... and could shoot, forever...

His ability didnt change much really at 38 compared to his prime either imo, he was still a starter who simply just relinquished unselfishly many touches to Jermaine O'Neal, Artest, S-Jax, it worked very well / he was ok with it as they won, he still didnt relinquish his role in the clutch/when the game was on the line and when he felt he had the hot hand he would go ham... it was a great team, he could have seriously won a championship with that team... But then some dude in Detroit threw a cup........................................

[SamuraiSWISH]

Vince wasn't all that quick laterally, a good reason he wasn't able to parlay his otherwise godly athleticism into better individual defense( besides effort, or course).
Exactly.

[Phoenix]

Reggie didnt jump/run that much different at 38 and 28 imo.... you can see the difference in athleticism between prime VC & current VC faaaaaaaaaaaaar more than you can with prime Reggie/38 year old Reggie...



Reggie had great conditioning and never based his game on speed to begin with, so its no surprise there was no obvious dropoff in how he moved. And as a shooter, your shot is the last thing to fail you so its no surprise he was still a quality starter at 40.

[FKAri]

Vince was quicker off the dribble than 90-95% of players in the NBA, not sure what there's to discuss.

Go rewatch some clips of him when he was in his prime.
Not after 2002 or so. Vince put on weight after his initial injuries and became more power oriented. He stopped blowing by guys at that point. Which, wasn't much of a problem as Vince had also become hesitant to attack the rim. This all aided in prolonging his career. Taking hits in the paint and accumulating micro-injuries is what will kill your longevity.

[plowking]

I never thought Vince had all that quick a first step, or elite movement laterally. Those are really key for being a great NBA player. But obviously, he was so elite everywhere else. Best body control in the air for me, ever.

I never thought he got his credit as a shooter though. He was close to elite for me. 38% from three while knocking down 2 a game, and 80% from the line. Not quite the elite of the elite, but he sure isn't far off. He is right on the cusp.