30 over 30: NBA’s best veterans above the age of 30
The NBA is a league of stars, but it is also a league of hope. Teams and fans alike look to the future, projecting the upside of young talent and dreaming of a superstar destination. Teams out of contention start reading mock drafts to get to know teenagers who may-or-may-not turn into the next great thing.
Coverage of the NBA does a similar thing, highlighting the league’s young talent to see who will take “the leap” to being an impactful player – and which players have made an impact from the very start. Websites such as the worldwide leader in sports or our very own Fansided cover the topic.
Yet in the midst of dreaming of future potential, we sometimes miss the amazing happening right in front of our eyes. The league in 5 years may be driven by these young talents, but right now the title will be decided primarily by veterans. The top three players on every contending team contain at least one star over the age of 30, and some contenders are flush with them.
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30 over 30: NBA’s best veterans above the age of 30
To continue playing in the NBA past the age of 30, you generally fit in one of two categories. You are either a superstar player good enough to continue playing as age begins to erode your skills (or completely ignore the effects of time — hello LeBron James) or you are a role player with an elite skill or two and the ability to thrive in your role.
While other websites highlight the league’s future stars, here we will highlight yesterday’s young-gun talents who still drive the league today. Instead of 18-under-18 or 25-under-25, here are the NBA’s 30-over-30 for the 2020-21 season.
Honorable Mentions: LaMarcus Aldridge, Eric Bledsoe, Eric Gordon, Danny Green, Kevin Love, Marcus Morris, Russell Westbrook
The players who just missed the cut are either fading stars who don’t impact winning as much anymore or role players who are still important in the right context but age-related decline has eroded their consistency. LaMarcus Aldridge, Danny Green and Marcus Morris all play for contenders and could prove themselves still kicking this postseason. Russell Westbrook actively damages his teams so much that he had to be bumped off the list, even if he still wields significant athleticism.