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.