How old are all the basketball players

How Old Are NBA Players on Average? Analysis from 1952-2022

The oldest player to ever play in the NBA was Kevin Willis at an astonishing age of 44 years. The youngest player ever was Andrew Bynum who played his first game at only 18 years and 6 days old.

These are the extremes, but how old is the average NBA player? Let’s find out!

Table of Contents

How Old is the Average NBA Player?

How was this data collected:

• Data was collected from basketball-reference.com
• Age was calculated using the 1st January for each season (e.g 1st January 2022 for 2021/22 season)
• Exact age is used for the statistics (26.5 years instead of 26 for example)

Graph 1: Average Age of NBA Players by Year:

Average Age Weighted by Minutes Played

Average Age of Players

Median Age of Players

1960197019801990200020102020year252730Average Age

Year	Average Age	Weighted Age	Median Age
2022	26. 1	26.5	25.2
2021	26	26.5	25.2
2020	26	26.5	25.3
2019	26.3	26.7	25.6
2018	26.5	26.9	25.6
2017	26.8	27	26.2
2016	27	27.1	26.3
2015	26.9	27.2	26.3
2014	26.9	26.9	26.1
2013	27	27.1	26.3
2012	27	27	26.2
2011	27.1	27	26.4
2010	27	27	26.3
2009	26.9	27	26.2
2008	27.1	27.2	26.8
2007	26.8	27	26.1
2006	26.8	27	26.3
2005	27. 3	27.3	26.7
2004	27.4	27.4	26.9
2003	27.5	27.6	26.8
2002	27.6	27.8	26.7
2001	28.1	28.1	27.6
2000	28.1	28.2	27.4
1999	28	28.3	27.5
1998	28.1	28.1	27.6
1997	28	28.1	27.3
1996	27.7	27.9	27.2
1995	27.7	27.6	27
1994	27.3	27.6	26.5
1993	27.4	27.5	26.7
1992	27.2	27.6	26.8
1991	27.2	27.6	26.6
1990	27.1	27.4	26.4
1989	27	27.3	26.4
1988	27	27. 2	26.4
1987	26.7	27	26.2
1986	26.8	27.2	26.3
1985	26.6	26.8	25.9
1984	26.5	26.8	25.8
1983	26.4	26.5	25.9
1982	26.4	26.5	25.8
1981	26.3	26.6	25.6
1980	26.5	26.7	25.9
1979	26.2	26.6	25.4
1978	26.2	26.5	25.8
1977	26.3	26.5	25.7
1976	26.6	26.8	25.9
1975	26.7	27.1	26
1974	26.7	27.4	25.8
1973	26.7	27.1	25.7
1972	26.5	27.1	25.6
1971	26. 4	27	25.7
1970	26.8	27.2	26.1
1969	26.5	27.3	25.7
1968	26.3	27.2	25.6
1967	26.3	27	25.6
1966	26.5	27.1	25.9
1965	26.2	26.8	25.8
1964	26.5	26.7	25.7
1963	26.1	26.7	25.6
1962	26.2	26.7	25.3
1961	26.5	26.7	26.3
1960	26.5	26.8	26.3
1959	26.3	26.7	25.8
1958	26.6	27.1	26
1957	26.3	26.5	25.6
1956	26.1	26.6	25.7
1955	26.4	27.2	26.1
1954	26. 3	26.7	25.6
1953	26.4	26.8	25.8
1952	26.4	26.7	26.2

In the 2021/22 season the average NBA player was 26.1 years old.

This number includes all players that played at least one game during the season, therefore including a lot of young prospects that only played very few minutes.

The average age weighted by minutes played is a little higher at 26.5 years, showing that older and more experienced players are usually taking up more minutes than rookies and other prospects.

The median age at 25.1 is also a lot younger than the average age. Which shows that there are a few outlier older players that account for a lot of minutes (think Lebron James) compared to a lot of younger players who play far less.

Evolution of Average Age in the NBA

As we can see in graph 1 the average age during the history of the NBA is relatively stable. Weighted by minutes, the average age was hovering around 27 years from 1952 until 1990.

From 1990 to 2000 the average age rose steadily and peaked at 28.3 years during the 98/99 season. The reason for this was a lot of experienced veterans playing heavy minutes as well as NBA teams drafting more experienced players and young players not receiving much playing time.

Lately, there is a big youth movement again in the NBA with average age dipping to an all-time low of 26.5 years. Young players around between 20 and 22 years receive more playing time than ever on rebuilding teams like OKC or Houston.

Average Age by Position

Gathering the data, I was curious if the average age of players is different depending on the position. Here’s what I found:

Graph 2: Average Age of NBA Players by Position:

1960197019801990200020102020Year252730Age

See results by position:

All

PG

✔

SG

✔

SF

✔

PF

✔

C

✔

Year	PG	SG	SF	PF	C	All
1952	27. 5	26.7	26.6	26.9	25.6	26.7
1953	27.4	27.3	26.7	26.9	25.6	26.8
1954	27.8	27.3	26.2	26.5	25.9	26.7
1955	28.3	27.8	27.1	26.8	26.2	27.2
1956	28.3	25.5	26	27.1	26.2	26.6
1957	27.2	25.6	25.9	27.6	26.1	26.5
1958	28.8	26.5	26.1	27.1	27.2	27.1
1959	28	26.9	26.6	26.1	26.1	26.7
1960	28.8	26.8	26.9	25.9	25.7	26.8
1961	26.4	27.2	26.3	26.7	26.9	26.7
1962	26.6	27. 1	26.8	26	26.9	26.7
1963	27.4	27.2	25.8	26.7	26.2	26.7
1964	27.3	27	26.6	26.1	26.6	26.7
1965	27.3	27.1	27.4	25.6	26.5	26.8
1966	27.6	27.4	26.3	26.3	27.7	27.1
1967	28	27.4	25.8	26.5	27.5	27
1968	27.8	26.4	26.7	27.5	27.6	27.2
1969	27.7	27.3	27.2	27.1	27.1	27.3
1970	27.5	27.2	27	28.3	26.2	27.2
1971	27.4	26.8	26.8	27.9	26.3	27
1972	27.9	26.4	27. 3	26.9	26.7	27.1
1973	27.6	26.6	27.5	27.1	26.8	27.1
1974	27.3	27.5	27.8	26.9	27.3	27.4
1975	27.3	27.1	27.5	26.7	26.7	27.1
1976	26.9	27.5	27.1	26	26.5	26.8
1977	26.7	26.8	26.7	25.7	26.7	26.5
1978	26.8	27.1	25.8	26.4	26.7	26.5
1979	26.2	27.3	25.7	26.7	27.1	26.6
1980	26.7	26.3	26.3	26.7	27.7	26.7
1981	26.3	26.2	26	26.7	27.5	26.6
1982	26.3	26.5	26.1	26. 5	27.4	26.5
1983	26.2	26.3	26	26.2	27.7	26.5
1984	26.1	26.5	26.7	26.5	27.9	26.8
1985	26.7	26.1	27.1	26.1	28	26.8
1986	27	27	27.2	26.4	28.3	27.2
1987	26.8	26.8	27	26.4	28.1	27
1988	26.6	27.4	27	26.4	28.6	27.2
1989	27.1	26.8	27	26.7	28.7	27.3
1990	27.4	26.9	27.6	26.9	28.5	27.4
1991	27	27.7	27.2	27.2	28.8	27.6
1992	27.1	27.5	27.6	27.2	28.6	27. 6
1993	27.2	27.5	27.3	27.4	28.3	27.5
1994	27.4	27.1	27.5	28	27.8	27.6
1995	27.6	27.2	27.4	27.7	28.3	27.6
1996	28	27.8	27.6	28	28.4	27.9
1997	27.7	27.9	28.2	27.9	28.9	28.1
1998	27.7	28.2	28	28.2	28.3	28.1
1999	28.2	28	28.2	28.6	28.5	28.3
2000	28.4	28	27.6	28.4	28.6	28.2
2001	28.4	28.3	26.8	28.4	28.6	28.1
2002	28.6	27.6	27.1	28.3	27.5	27.8
2003	27. 8	27.5	27.1	27.2	28.5	27.6
2004	27.7	27.5	26.6	27.2	28.1	27.4
2005	27.6	27.3	26.6	27.4	27.4	27.3
2006	27.4	27.2	25.9	26.8	27.5	27
2007	27.3	27	26.5	26.9	27.2	27
2008	27.5	27.5	26.7	26.9	27.1	27.2
2009	27.1	27	27.1	26.8	26.8	27
2010	26.7	27.1	27	26.9	27.5	27
2011	26.8	27.1	27.2	26.9	26.9	27
2012	26	27.2	27.9	26.7	27.3	27
2013	26.6	27.5	27. 2	27.2	26.8	27.1
2014	26.4	26.9	27.1	27.1	27.3	26.9
2015	26.7	27	27.3	27.9	27	27.2
2016	27.2	26.8	27.2	27.4	26.7	27.1
2017	27.2	27.1	27.1	27.1	26.6	27
2018	26.8	27	26.3	26.9	27.2	26.9
2019	26.8	26.5	26.4	27.2	26.6	26.7
2020	26.8	25.8	26.2	26.9	26.8	26.5
2021	26.9	25.6	26.6	26.7	27	26.5
2022	26.6	26.1	25.7	27.2	27.2	26.5

We can see that for most of the history of the NBA there are no big differences between positions.

The one thing that clearly stands out, is the average age of centers from 1980-1992 which clearly exceeds all other positions during this time. If we take a closer look at this period we see some legendary centers like Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Robert Parish and Moses Malone logging heavy minutes at the end of their very long careers.

Age Distribution Among NBA Players

To get a better idea of age among NBA player it makes sense to take a look at the actual age distribution.

Graph 3: Age Distribution of NBA Players by Year:

From1951/521952/531953/541954/551955/561956/571957/581958/591959/601960/611961/621962/631963/641964/651965/661966/671967/681968/691969/701970/711971/721972/731973/741974/751975/761976/771977/781978/791979/801980/811981/821982/831983/841984/851985/861986/871987/881988/891989/901990/911991/921992/931993/941994/951995/961996/971997/981998/991999/002000/012001/022002/032003/042004/052005/062006/072007/082008/092009/102010/112011/122012/132013/142014/152015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202020/212021/22To1951/521952/531953/541954/551955/561956/571957/581958/591959/601960/611961/621962/631963/641964/651965/661966/671967/681968/691969/701970/711971/721972/731973/741974/751975/761976/771977/781978/791979/801980/811981/821982/831983/841984/851985/861986/871987/881988/891989/901990/911991/921992/931993/941994/951995/961996/971997/981998/991999/002000/012001/022002/032003/042004/052005/062006/072007/082008/092009/102010/112011/122012/132013/142014/152015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202020/212021/22

% of players

% of minutes played

2025303540Age00. 030.060.090.12# of players

We can see that during the history of the NBA, the most common age among players is 23. The age responsible for most minutes played is a little older at 24.

In general, older players play more minutes than their younger counterparts. Which makes sense since only the best players still play in the NBA at more advanced age.

Average Age of Retirement in the NBA

Finding out the average retirement age of NBA players turned out to be more complicated than I expected. I don’t have a dataset of official retirements of NBA players (I don’t think a complete dataset like this exists).

Because of this, I filtered the dataset of all seasons ever played in the NBA to only include the last season by each player and calculated the average age during this season.

Graph 4: Average Age During Last Season of NBA Players:

All Players

At least 5 seasons

Scored 10ppg at least one season

Scored 15ppg at least one season

Scored 20ppg at least one season

Hall of Famer

1960-19701970-19801980-19901990-20002000-20102010-2020Year24283238. 3125Average Age

Years	All Players	At least 5 seasons	At least one season with >10PPG	At least one season with >15PPG	At least one season with >20PPG
1950-1960	26.1	29.5	29.2	29.9	30
1960-1970	26	29.6	29.9	31.8	32.5
1970-1980	26.8	30.4	30.9	32.5	33.5
1980-1990	26.9	30.1	30.7	31.9	33.2
1990-2000	28.2	31.3	32.3	33.1	33.8
2000-2010	28.9	32.1	33.6	34.5	35.2
2010-2020	27.8	30.7	31.9	33.3	34.3

The average age of NBA players retiring from 2010-20 was 27.8 years. At first, this number was surprisingly low to me. In fact, it’s only around one year older than the average age of NBA players during the same time frame.

Digging a little further, this makes a lot of sense because the data includes a lot of young players who couldn’t make it in the NBA and either ended their careers early or left the NBA to play in Europe, China or elsewhere.

To get a better idea when NBA players that “made it” retired, I filtered the dataset to only include players that lasted at least for 5 seasons, or averaged 10 (15, 20) points at least once during their career.

We can see that the better the player, the longer their careers last. While the average player during 2010-2020 “retired” at 28, hall of famers retired at 38!

Final Thoughts

You can clearly see that the NBA is a young man’s game! While there are some players who still perform at all star levels at 36 (Lebron James!), the most common age during the 21/22 season was 24.

If you are interested in any other specific statistics surrounding the age of NBA players let me know. I have all the data, I might be able to add it to the post!

Who is the oldest NBA player? (All-time and active)

The National Basketball Association was founded on July 6, 1946. In the 76 years since, there have been over 4,500 NBA players to play in a game. There has never been an older player than Nat Hickey, who still holds the record for oldest NBA player ever, set back in 1948. Hickey was 45 years and 363 days old. The great story there is, he was actually the team’s coach but chose to activate himself and play the sport instead.

For Hickey to have held the record for 73 years and counting, it seems like an unlikely record to be broken. After all, there won’t be any more coaches suiting up for their organizations any time soon. So who is the oldest player in the NBA right now?

The oldest active NBA players changes from season to season and even month to month. Counting down in reverse order, here are the oldest NBA players in 2022-23.

10. LaMarcus Aldridge’s return to basketball earns him spot among oldest players in NBA

Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

• LaMarcus Aldrige date of birth – 6/19/1985
• LaMarcus Aldridge age – 37 years old

Some players may not be thrilled to be on a list such as the oldest active NBA players, but for LaMarcus Aldridge, it’s an amazing accomplishment. In April of 2021, Aldridge had to retire from the game he loved after experiencing heart problems. He later returned to play with the Brooklyn Nets, but Aldridge is currently a free agent. It remains to be seen whether he’ll return for a 17th year.

9. Trevor Ariza prepares to play 19th NBA season

Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

• Trevor Ariza date of birth – 6/30/1985
• Trevor Ariza age – 37 years old

Trevor Ariza played just 24 games for the Los Angeles Lakers last season after experiencing right ankle issues. One of the oldest players in basketball, we’ll see what type of contract Ariza can land this offseason, should he pursue another year in the league.

8. Taj Gibson stands the test of time

Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

• Taj Gibson date of birth – 6/24/1985
• Taj Gibson age – 37 years old

It doesn’t seem long ago that Taj Gibson was playing for the USC Trojans, or even alongside Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler with the Miami Heat. Known as a tough defender, nothing gets in Gibson’s path. Not even the time he lost his shoe. Gibson still managed to play defense, even attempting to get a block, while holding his shoe in his other hand. That type of effort is a classic example of why, even at 37 years old, Gibson is still on an NBA roster. After being let go from Tom Thibodeau’s grasp on the New York Knicks, Gibson has since landed with the Washington Wizards.

7. Chris Paul still elite, despite status among oldest NBA players

Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

• Chris Paul date of birth – 5/6/1985
• Chris Paul age – 37 years old

They say you gain wisdom as you age. Chris Paul is doing his best to prove these theories true. Despite his advanced age, CP3 led the NBA in assists per game during the 2021-22 season. As one of the oldest NBA players, Paul also remains one of the best.

Also Read:
Patrick Beverley takes shot at Chris Paul, Damian Lillard responds as NBA of petty continues

6. At age 37, P.J. Tucker’s long-traveled career continues

Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

• P.J. Tucker date of birth – 5/5/1985
• P.J. Tucker age – 37 years old

Going on his 12th season, P.J. Tucker has an incredible tale of what it’s like to not be able to play basketball in the pros. After being selected with the fifth pick in the second round of the 2006 NBA Draft, Tucker spent the next five years playing in Israel, Ukraine, Germany, and Italy, before making his way back onto an NBA team, where he’s stayed ever since. After winning an NBA Championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, now, Tucker is on the Philadelphia 76ers.

Also Read:
Top 2023 NBA free agents: Kyrie Irving could lead the charge

5. Paul Millsap still seeking first NBA Championship at age 37

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

• Paul Millsap date of birth – 2/10/1985
• Paul Millsap age – 37 years old

It took Paul Millsap five seasons before he became a full-time starter, so it’s understandable that he’d want to savor the twilight of his NBA career. Coming off his 16th season in the NBA, Millsap had been on the Philadelphia 76ers but is now a free agent.

Also Read:
50 Best NBA players of 2022: New Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell ascends the rankings

4. How old is LeBron James? (Old enough to be on this list)

Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

• LeBron James date of birth – 12/30/1984
• LeBron James age – 37 years old

LeBron James is not quite the oldest NBA player but experienced enough to be the fourth oldest active NBA player. King James is no longer the unstoppable force he once was, but the 17-time NBA All-Star still averaged north of 30 points per game in his 19th season. Many believe LBJ wants to play until his son, Bronny James, reaches the NBA. It doesn’t seem like a ridiculous thought at this point.

Also Read:
Bronny James favored to land with the Oregon Ducks in 2023

3. Carmelo Anthony is oldest player from 2003 NBA Draft class

Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

• Carmelo Anthony date of birth – 5/29/1984
• Carmelo Anthony age – 38 years old

Few current players in the NBA are as accomplished as Carmelo Anthony. Entering the league in the same draft class as LeBron James, Melo has taken several trips around the sun and is among the oldest active NBA players. He is also the eldest NBA player in the Association without an NBA Championship to his name, but now he’s a free agent, able to join any team.

Also Read:
NBA playoff predictions: Bracket picks & 2023 Finals champion

2.

Golden State’s Andre Iguodala is league’s second-oldestMandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

• Andre Iguodala date of birth – 1/28/1984
• Andre Iguodala age – 38 years old

This may be painful because many of us still remember when Andre Iguodala was a rookie with the Philadelphia 76ers back in 2004, playing with the original A.I., Allen Iverson. Nostalgia aside, Iggy is the second-oldest active NBA player at 38 years old.

Related: Watch Live Sports On One Of These Amazing 80 Inch 4k TVs

1. Miami Heat’s Udonis Haslem is the oldest current NBA player

Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

• Udonis Haslem date of birth – 6/9/1980
• Udonis Haslem age – 42 years old

Sitting far ahead of his NBA peers, Udonis Haslem is the oldest NBA player in the league, and it’s not even close. The glorified player/coach at this stage in his career doesn’t even compare to other NBA players’ ages. Haslem is almost a full four years older than the next player on this list.

Haslem doesn’t really play anymore, having played just 276 minutes over the past five seasons. We’re not sure why he doesn’t simply become a coach at this point, but the Miami Heat will let him do what he wants as a valued member of their culture. After spending his entire 19-year NBA career with the team, he’s earned it. He’s back for another year riding pine and intimidating the younger players on not only his team but also his opponents in 2022-23. You can’t talk about Heat culture without mentioning Haslem.

where to study, salary, pros and cons

Author: Professional Guide

Updated by October 15, 2022

Basketball player is a professional basketball player. Such a team game is popular, first of all, in the USA. In Russia, it is somewhat inferior to football and hockey, but still quite in demand. By the way, the ProfGid career guidance center has recently developed an accurate career guidance test that will tell you which professions suit you, give an opinion about your personality type and intelligence.

Professional knowledge

Famous basketball players

Examples of companies with basketball vacancies

See also :

Brief description: who is a basketball player?

The basic rules of the game of basketball are usually known to everyone: two teams enter the field, the one that scores more points wins. Points are given for hitting the ball into a basket hanging at a height of 3.05 meters from the floor. The number of points that is counted for each hit depends on the distance from which the throw was made. In the process of moving around the field, players must dribble the ball, beating it off the floor, and not hold it in their hands.

Features of the profession

A professional sports career requires a lot of energy, effort, time and dedication. A basketball player must always be in good shape, his salary and popularity largely depend on the performance of his performance on the field, and he must work closely with other team members. The main duties of a basketball player are as follows:

• Daily attendance at training.
• Compliance with the regime of the day and nutrition.
• Participation in matches.
• Participation in non-match events of the club.
• Regular medical examination, following the recommendations of the doctor and trainer.

A basketball player must be prepared for the fact that he will periodically have to change the clubs he plays for, participate in international competitions from his country, and even during the match, cooperate with different groups of players (frequent substitutions are very common in this game).

Pros and cons of the basketball profession

Pros

1. Prestigious profession with a decent salary.
2. Opportunity to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
3. Opportunity to travel, communicate with representatives of different countries and peoples.
4. The joy of victories and the support of the fans.

See also:

Cons

1. The need for talent or extensive experience to gain recognition and sign expensive contracts.
2. Negative emotions from defeats.
3. Occupational diseases (herniated disc, knee problems, Schlatter's disease).
4. Age restrictions on career length.

Important Personal Qualities

In order to successfully fill the position of a basketball player and succeed in this field, an athlete must be in very good physical shape, he must not have serious chronic diseases, he needs excellent endurance, concentration, speed of movement and reactions, perfect coordination. Most often, very tall athletes become successful basketball players. Analytical thinking, the ability to follow the strategy developed by the coach, make decisions quickly, and work together with the rest of the team will also not interfere.

Basketball training

Russian universities and colleges do not offer basketball training as such. You can learn how to play basketball in sports schools, and then improve your skills in basketball clubs. In parallel, you can get a sports education (including to successfully work as a coach after completing a career in big-time sports). In this context, the specialty "Physical Education" in colleges (code 49.02.01) or the same name in universities (code 49.03.01). A certificate is sufficient for admission to a secondary school, in addition to it, the results of the Unified State Examination in the Russian language, biology and physics are required for admission to the university.

Courses

Stremlenie Basketball Club

It is necessary to think about where to get the profession of a basketball player, if you have the appropriate inclinations, from childhood. Therefore, most basketball schools offer training for children and teenagers. One of these schools is the Stremlenie basketball club, where individual and team trainings are held. Members of the club also take part in competitions.

The best universities for basketball players

1. MSPU
2. RGSU
3. MGOU
4. RGUFKSMiT
5. RGUFK them. P.F. Lesgafta
6. RSPU im. A.I. Herzen

Read also:

Place of work

Basketball players play for basketball clubs, national teams. At the end of their careers, they work as coaches (both in adult clubs and in children's sports schools).

Salary of a basketball player

The level of income of such an athlete directly depends on his talent, experience, professionalism and fame. The more useful a basketball player can bring to the club, the higher the salary will be offered to him.

Basketball player salary for October 2022

Salary information provided by hh.ru portal.

Russia 100000-250000₽

Career growth

Building a career for a professional athlete is about improving your skills and getting more and more lucrative offers from clubs. With age, it may also involve a change from activity to coaching.

Professional knowledge

1. Human anatomy, physiology and biochemistry.
2. History of physical culture.
3. Psychology of physical culture.
4. Management of physical culture and sports.
5. Biomechanics of motor activity.
6. Rules of the game of basketball.
7. Team strategies when playing basketball.

Famous basketball players

1. Michael Jordan, one of the Chicago Bulls' most popular players, was on the club's winning streak six times in the NBA.
2. Shaquille O'Neal, recognized as one of the best players in the history of the NBA, also known for releasing rap albums and starring in several films.
3. Clyde Drexler, one of the best basketball players in the NBA, Olympian with 20,000 points in his entire career.

See also:

Examples of companies with vacancies for a basketball player

Psychology

Stretching

Strength

Power Preparation

Tactics

injuries

Fints