Nat Hickey is the oldest NBA player ever, having played his final game for the Providence Steamrollers at 45 years and 363 days old.
The NBA is a league built on youth, but a select few players have defied time, playing well into their 40s.
Although the average retirement age is around 28, the oldest NBA players ever proved that experience and longevity can sometimes trump athleticism.
Some of them remained productive deep into their careers, while others made history simply by stepping onto the court.
Oldest NBA players of all time
You might think that the oldest basketball players must have played in the early years of the NBA, but many of them did it the 2000s.
Here are the 10 oldest NBA players of all time:
| No. | Player | Age at last game | Last game year | Total games played |
| 1. | Nat Hickey | 45 years, 363 days | 1948 | 2 |
| 2. | Kevin Willis | 44 years, 224 days | 2007 | 1,424 |
| 3. | Robert Parish | 43 years, 254 days | 1997 | 1,611 |
| 4. | Vince Carter | 43 years, 45 days | 2020 | 1,541 |
| 5. | Udonis Haslem | 42 years, 363 days | 2023 | 879 |
| 6. | Dikembe Mutombo | 42 years, 300 days | 2009 | 1,196 |
| 7. | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 42 years, 58 days | 1989 | 1,560 |
| 8. | Bob Cousy | 41 years, 150 days | 1970 | 924 |
| 9. | Herb Williams | 41 years, 129 days | 1999 | 1,102 |
| 10. | John Stockton | 41 years, 35 days | 2003 | 1,504 |
Who is the oldest player to ever play in the NBA?
Nat Hickey holds the record for the oldest NBA player ever, playing his final game for the Providence Steamrollers at 45 years and 363 days old.
Hickey was serving as the team's coach at the time, but he chose to activate himself as a player for two games.
He scored only two points during his brief stint, but in doing so, he secured a place in basketball history.
Who is the oldest NBA player to retire?
Even though Nat Hickey is the oldest player in NBA history, Kevin Willis had the most extensive career in the league.
At 44 years and 224 days old, he last played in 2007, capping off a 21-season career.
Willis won an NBA championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2003. He was also named an NBA All-Star and earned All-NBA Third Team honors in 1992 while playing for the Atlanta Hawks.
Vince Carter, arguably the best dunker of all time, played into his 40s (43), as did Robert Parish (43) and Udonis Haslem (42).
Who is the oldest player to win an NBA championship?
Robert Parish became the oldest NBA player to win a championship in 1997, securing his fourth and final title with the Chicago Bulls. He was 43 years and 286 days old.
While Parish had already won three rings with the Boston Celtics in the 1980s, he served as a veteran presence off the bench during the Bulls' second three-peat, ending his pro career immediately after the Finals.
Other players who won a championship after turning 40 include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (41), Kevin Willis (40), and James Edwards (40).
Who is the oldest player to win NBA MVP?
Karl Malone is the oldest NBA player ever to win a regular-season MVP award, earning the honor at 35 years old during the 1998-99 season.
That year, the Utah Jazz star averaged 23.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, edging out Alonzo Mourning and Tim Duncan for the award.
Meanwhile, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar remains the oldest NBA Finals MVP, winning the award at 38 years and 54 days old in 1985.
Despite this, LeBron James made history in 2023 by becoming the oldest player in NBA history to win an MVP award of any kind, claiming the inaugural In-Season Tournament (NBA Cup) MVP at the age of 38 years and 344 days.
Now, at 40 years old, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar is in his 22nd season and is on track to break records in the rankings of the NBA's oldest players.
Wondering who the youngest NBA players are?
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