When people think of basketball players at the very top of the sport, they imagine young men and women battling with boundless energy.
The exuberance of youth does often win out in sports, especially a game as physical and intense as basketball. There are, however, many instances of veterans showing the new generation how to get the job done on the court.
While sports such as American football do not always bless players with lengthy careers, basketball players can easily survive for 10 to 15 years in the NBA if they have the necessary dedication and discipline to their craft.
Below is our ranking of the five most dominant veterans in the NBA in recent years.
1. LeBron James
Whenever fans talk about the most successful oldest NBA players, their minds turn to LeBron James. Even at 38, James shows very few signs of slowing down on the court. Injuries, lengthy playoff runs, and sponsorship commitments outside of the court have not made any difference to James’ ability to play elite basketball in the most decisive moments of a season.
Having already won four NBA Championships and four Finals MVP awards, James has achieved more than most players who dream of playing in the NBA. Even though he hasn’t succeeded in his quest to end his career with more Championships than Michael Jordan, James is one of the greatest players by any other metric.
Now the leading scorer in NBA history, James has been an All-Star in the NBA for two decades. Even at 38, he is often the top scorer for his team in games while dishing out plenty of assists. James will return with the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2023-2024 season.
2. Michael Jordan
Another incredible basketball player who did not slow down in his latter years — Michael Jordan — is recognized by most fans as the best ever to play the sport. Having won a record six NBA titles and been the team’s MVP in all those series, Jordan is an iconic athlete whose name is synonymous with the sport.
When Jordan won his famous three-peat with the Chicago Bulls between 1996 and 1998, he was the top scorer in the NBA in all of those years. What is even more remarkable is that Jordan was in his mid-30s during that time — when most players are already past their best.
At 35, Jordan was the leading scorer in the NBA, routinely putting his team on his back to win games and championships. There will not likely be another player with the same level of intensity on both sides of the court as Jordan — given that he was equally adept at defense.
3. Tim Duncan
A 19-year career in the NBA saw Tim Duncan retire as a five-time NBA Champion and a three-time NBA Finals MVP with his beloved San Antonio Spurs. Every few players showcase the same loyalty and longevity in a league as brutal and intense as the NBA.
Duncan was also a two-time NBA MVP and an All-Star on 15 occasions. The only times he did not make the All-Star lineup was during seasons when he sustained severe injuries.
Duncan is not the flashiest player to have graced the court, which may be why he does not have the same fan base as someone like LeBron James or Michael Jordan. He was happy to play a team game with the San Antonio Spurs, while he never sought the limelight off the court. But he was the consummate professional, which is how he managed to stay at the top for so long.
4. Kobe Bryant
While an Achilles injury robbed the NBA of a few more years of Kobe Bryan at his very best, the late Los Angeles Lakers legend was an elite NBA player for nearly two decades.
Bryant entered the league after high school and showed his very best form until his mid-30s, despite having several injury setbacks over the years. Bryant won five NBA Championships and was the NBA Finals MVP on two of those occasions. His first three titles came with Shaquille O’Neal, the MVP for his team on those occasions.
Bryant was an 18 times NBA All-Star, eventually retiring in the 2015-2016 season, 20 years after entering the league as a teenager in 1996.
5. Manu Ginobili
An Argentine basketball superstar, Manu Ginobili, is another San Antonio Spurs legend. The four-time NBA Champion managed two NBA All-Star appearances and was the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2008.
While Ginobili did not have the peaks of the other players on this list, he was an elite scorer and a valuable option for the San Antonio Spurs for over 16 years. He was always a favorite of his coaches, and his career lasted over two decades.
Ginobili started out playing for Andino in South America in 1995, eventually retiring with the Spurs in 2018.
Final Thoughts
Each of the above players showed their age was only a number. These players who have dedicated over a decade to the league had the motivation, discipline, and creativity to play some of their best basketball in their latter years as an athlete.
LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Tim Duncan will be remembered for generations. Not only did they give fans incredible moments of grace and skill in their early and peak years, and they continued proving their dedication to their teams as veterans.