Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will soon become the 32nd player to play in the NBA at the age of 40.
The four-time MVP became the league’s oldest active player following the retirements of Udonis Haslem and Andre Iguodala after the 2022–23 season.
James has averaged 23.5 points, 9 assists and 7.9 rebounds in 28 games played this season.
He will continue his climb up the list of the league’s oldest players ever during the 22nd season of his career. Danny Schayes is the youngest member of the 40-year-old club, playing his last game just three days after he turned 40. Nat Hickey is the oldest person to play in the NBA at 45 years and 363 days old.
James will become the only player in the 40-club to also be among the 31 youngest players ever to play in the NBA. He started his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Oct. 29, 2003, at 18 years, 303 days old.
P.J. Tucker, Chris Paul and Taj Gibson are the only other active 39-year-old players with a chance to join the 40-club.
LeBron’s greatest moments:LeBron James turns 40. It’s been a stunning, stupendous, brilliant life lived.
Here are some of the more notable players to play at the age of 40.
* stats per game
∎ (Season he turned 40: 1986-87) 78 starts, 31.3 minutes*, .564 FG%, 17.5 points*, 6.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.2 blocks
Abdul-Jabbar won his fifth NBA championship at the end of the 1986-87 season. He retired at age 42 in 1989. The Lakers legend held the NBA’s career scoring record for nearly 39 years, finishing his career with 38,387 points, before he was passed by LeBron James in February 2023.
∎ (Season he turned 40: 2002-03) 82 games (67 starts), 37 minutes, .445 FG%, 20 points, 6.1 rebounds*, 3.8 assists*, 1.5 steals
The longtime Chicago Bulls star decided to return to the NBA in 2001 after a three-year hiatus and spent two seasons with the Washington Wizards. Jordan is often considered the league’s best player, having won six NBA championships and five MVP awards.
∎ (1969-70) 7 games played, 4.9 minutes, .333 FG%, 0.7 ppg*, 0.7 rebounds*, 1.4 assists
Cousy, then 41, returned to the court for seven games during the 1969-70 season for the Cincinnati Royals. The longtime Boston Celtics star had retired after the 1963 season. He served as a coach for Cincinnati from 1969 to 1972.
∎ (2018-19) 51 games, 15.6 minutes, .359 FG%, 7.3 points, 3.1 rebounds*, 0.7 assists
Nowitzki played the entire 2018-19 season at 40 years old. He retired after that season, having spent his entire 21-year career in Dallas. He was named Finals MVP in 2011 after leading the Mavericks to their first NBA championship.
∎ (2003-04) 42 starts, 32.7 minutes, .483 FG%, 13.2 points, 8.7 rebounds*, 3.9 assists
Malone turned 40 ahead of his last season in the NBA, which saw him join the Los Angeles Lakers. It was the only season that he did not play for the Utah Jazz. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.
∎ (Season he turned 40: 2013-14) 15 games, 20.9 minutes, .383 FG%, 6.8 points, 5.7 assists*, 1.9 rebounds*
Nash finished out his career with two seasons in Los Angeles. The Hall of Famer won the NBA MVP in 2005 and 2006 and finished as the league’s leader in assists five times.
