New Orleans Pelicans big man Kevon Looney has been in the NBA for so long that you wouldn’t object to him being called an “unc” — slang for uncle, a popular term for the older guys in the league.
In reality, though, the 10-year NBA veteran is only 29 and won’t be turning 30 until next February.
And while some may already consider Looney an unc, the newly-signed Pelicans center begs to disagree.
“I played with real uncs that was in they 30, 35, I played with a couple of 40-year olds, so I know what real uncs look like. Shout out to my man Andre Iguodala,” Looney said during the Pelicans’ media day, shouting out his former Golden State Warriors teammate.
“He was about 45 when he was playing with me,” Looney added jokingly.
When Looney entered the league in 2015, Iguodala was already a 32-year-old 12-year NBA veteran. He retired with the Warriors in 2023 at the age of 39.
Looney on how old an NBA unc is
So just how old should a player be to be considered an unc in the NBA?
“I would say 35 is the age you would be considered,” Looney said. “In an NBA locker room, 34-35 is the unc age in the locker room. Not 29.”
According to Looney’s age limit, he has about five more years before being considered an unc. Un(c)fortunately for him, there’s no escaping the fact that he’s the oldest player on the Pelicans’ roster.
Looney was born in February of 1996, and the next eldest player is Dejounte Murray, born seven months later in September. The youngest player on the roster is rookie Jeremiah Fears, who is ten years younger than Looney.
So whether or not Looney considers himself an unc, he’s the unc in the Pelicans’ locker room.
All-Unc NBA lineup based on Looney’s age limit
While the truth is that the NBA is getting younger and younger, there are still a handful of older players that are in the upper echelon of the league.
So, based on Looney’s 34-year-old age limit, who would be the NBA’s best uncs today?
At the top of the list would be none other than LeBron James. Not only is he still one of the best players in the league today, but he’s also the oldest at 40 years old.
Next would be Stephen Curry, who, even at 37 years old, can still dominate a game like no other. 36-year-old Kevin Duran also deserves a spot on this list, given that he’s still one of the league’s best offensive weapons. In need of some elite playmaking, 36-year-old James Harden is enjoying a bit of a career resurgence post his prime. Rounding out this five-man list would be 34-year-old Kawhi Leonard, who, when healthy, is still one of the most effective two-way players in the league.
Players like DeMar DeRozan, Jimmy Butler, Chris Paul, C.J. McCollum, Damian Lillard, Paul George and Draymond Green can also be considered among the NBA’s unc All-Stars.
So, while the next generation of players is indeed already making their mark in the NBA, the uncs are still here and ready to play.