By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” they say, but this doesn’t necessarily apply to basketball players for a number of reasons. First of all, “old” athletes are pretty much in the prime of their lives in every other social function by current standards and secondly, if they survived that long as professionals, at some point they had to adapt their games to their age or change training methods in order for their bodies to endure.
In any case, playing well beyond one’s 30s is the current norm, especially for those who are members of elite competitions. And currently, in the EuroLeague there are 10 players who are at least 35 years old and they keep going strong. While they are likely near the end of their careers, many of them are still solid contributors to their teams, feared and respected by opponents. Here they are from youngest to oldest.
SINAN GULER (Fenerbahce BEKO Istanbul)
BORN: 8 NOVEMBER, 1983 NATIONALITY: TURKEY
STATS: 1.3 points, 0.5 assists
If there’s a guy in this list who seems to have lost his edge, it’s Guler, but that’s not the real story. Guler remains a luxury for Fenerbahce‘s roster and he simply does not get meaningful minutes in the EuroLeague. If there’s a chance, he can play his role. He scored 7 points against Herbalife Gran Canaria in a 97-72 win and it’s not a coincidence that this was the only game this season in which he spent more than 10 minutes on the court. Maybe, if he was on a different roster, he would be able to showcase more, however, on the other hand, it’s not bad to be part of the top-ranked regular-season team.
KEITH LANGFORD (Panathinaikos OPAP)
BORN: 15 SEPTEMBER, 1983 NATIONALITY: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
STATS: 11.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists
Keith Langford is proving this season that age can be just a number. He scored 33 against Baskonia – although Panathinaikos was defeated 86-77 – and he has been one of the team’s main stars as the Greens have been surging toward the playoffs. While you would expect a former EuroLeague top scorer to be able to make a bucket, Langford is not slowing down yet.
MARCELINHO HUERTAS (KIROLBET Baskonia Vitoria Gasteiz)
BORN: 25 MAY, 1983 NATIONALITY: BRAZIL
STATS: 7.9 points, 4.7 assists
He started the season with a limited role, but when his name was called due to Baskonia‘s injury woes, he was ready to showcase some vintage performances. His averages are solid and his best game came in the 83-66 win against Gran Canaria with 24 points and 6 assists. And even if he’s lost some of his quickness, his ability to dazzle with his creativity on the court remains intact.
JAYCEE CARROLL (Real Madrid)
BORN: 16 APRIL, 1983 NATIONALITY: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
STATS: 10.0 points, 1.2 rebounds
He is considered the best pure three-point shooter in the EuroLeague, he’s made a tone of big shots in his career and continues to do so, coming off the bench. He is – almost – the top scorer on the list and is also one of the most consistent players in his role, not just on this list, but in the entire league. He had 15 points on 4-of-5 three-point shooting for a performance index rating of 18 in Real Madrid‘s easy 92-65 win over FC Barcelona Lassa and he really knows how to deliver in big moments.
SERGEY MONIA (Khimki Moscow Region)
BORN: 15 APRIL, 1983 NATIONALITY: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
STATS: 3.7 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists
Sergey Money’s career at the top level started back in the summer of 2002 when he signed with CSKA Moscow. After many twists and turns that even included a season in the NBA, he still has gas in the tank. Since the summer of 2010, he’s been a member of Khimki Moscow Region and while his numbers are going down, he can still affect games. In very limited minutes, he is shooting 45% from the three-point line and in the 76-68 win against Panathinaikos, he scored 9 points and had 4 rebounds for a performance index rating of 10.
ALI MUHAMMED (Fenerbahce BEKO Istanbul)
BORN: 10 APRIL, 1983 NATIONALITY: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
STATS: 9.0 points, 2.3 assists
Yes, he is almost 36 years old but you wouldn’t guess it while watching him on the floor. He was always a late bloomer, signing with Fenerbahce in the summer of 2015 after turning 32 years old. He emerged as a household name in European basketball after that. Muhammed is one of the top players on a title contender and he had 23 points against FC Bayern Munich on the road. Strangely in his most productive game, Fenerbahce was defeated in Germany.
VASSILIS SPANOULIS (Olympiacos Piraeus)
BORN: 7 AUGUST, 1982 NATIONALITY: GREECE
STATS: 10.2 points, 5.1 assists
He is a legend and a EuroLeague icon and in some cases, icons do not age well. That simply does not apply to Spanoulis. He may finally seem human, but this is happening as a result of him being superhuman for most of his career. He remains the fourth-best passer in the league with 5.1 assists per game. Spanoulis scored 21 points and dished 8 assists in a 98-77 win over Gran Canaria for a performance index rating of 31 and this is pretty much what you should know about him. Yes, he is almost 37 years old but he can torch you.
EULIS BAEZ (Herbalife Gran Canaria)
BORN: 18 MARCH, 1982 NATIONALITY: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
STATS: 6.7 points, 3.8 rebounds
He is a local fan favorite and he proved why this season on the biggest basketball stage on the Old Continent. He made his EuroLeague debut at 36 years of age and is currently 37. Still, he was the MVP of the Round with a performance index rating of 32 in Gran Canaria’s 84-78 win over Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv after he scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Don’t look at his age, but rather at the other numbers in his game.
FELIPE REYES (Real Madrid)
BORN: 16 MARCH, 1980 NATIONALITY: SPAIN
STATS: 4.3 points, 2.1 rebounds
He recently became the EuroLeague’s all-time leader in games played and as the captain of Real Madrid, he sets the tone for everyone else. And yes, during this season he shows some signs of his age, but he is by far the oldest player of this list, having already celebrated his 39th birthday and we will see him on the court at least for one more season due to his contract that expires in the summer of 2020. And don’t underestimate Don Felipe. He remains one of the most crafty players in the league. Reyes scored 10 points and posted an index rating of 13 in Madrid’s 97-79 victory over Baskonia.
ALBERT OLIVER (Herbalife Gran Canaria)
BORN: 4 JUNE, 1978 NATIONALITY: SPAIN
STATS: 4.2 points, 1.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists
He must have discovered the youth elixir. There’s no other way to explain the fact that Oliver is the only player in this list who was born in 1970s, not to mention the oldest player ever to score in the EuroLeague. Not only he is still active, but he is on the court for 15 minutes per game. He scored 12 points and dished 4 assists in a 75-67 loss to Real Madrid, which was also his best game of the season. You can’t but admire him. He is 40 years old and he finally made his debut on the top European competition. And he did it by being a real factor for his team on the court.