Basketball is a young man’s game, even more so when it’s played at the highest level like the NBA. While it’s true that some players continue to excel at an elite level well into their late 30s and even early 40s (see: LeBron James), it’s unlikely that we will ever see a player remain in the league until their 50s or beyond. Even more unlikely is that we see anyone of that age make it to an NBA roster.
That’s why, when 76-year-old Don Wiberg took a chance and tried out for the Golden State Warriors’ NBA D-League affiliate team, the Santa Cruz Warriors, back in 2012, it made headlines.
At least Wiberg, who was a professor at UCLA and UC Santa Cruz, was honest about what he could bring to the table.
“I can’t say that I can run, jump, or shoot, because I can’t,” Wiberg said, exuding confidence. “But for a guy that can’t run, jump or shoot, I’m a decent passer and I’ll get in there and mix it up.”
“I’m 76-years-old, and this is the only thing left on my bucket list, to try out for the Santa Cruz Warriors,” he added.
For context, this particular tryout was open to the public and featured Bay Area-based rapper Lil’ B. Ultimately, neither of the two made the cut.
Oldest players to play in the G League
During the 2017-2018 NBA G League season, 38-year-old Damien Wilkins was on the Charlotte Hornets’ affiliate team, the Greensboro Swarm. In 15 games with the Swarm, he was putting up 23.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. Wilkins, who was already a seasoned veteran with nine years of NBA experience and four more years of international experience at the time, remains the oldest player to have played in the G League.
In the 2023-24 season, 36-year-old Jeremy Pargo was still hooping for the G League Ignite squad, averaging 5.0 points and 2.8 assists per game. Prior to that, Pargo was a three-year NBA veteran with stints in Memphis, Cleveland and Philadelphia.
One more noteworthy G League “veteran” is Andre Ingram, who made his NBA debut at 32 years old in 2018, making him the oldest American rookie in NBA history. Ingram, who was called up from the G League by the Los Angeles Lakers, had a 19-point outing against the Chris Paul and James Harden-led Houston Rockets in his first NBA game. He had been a G League-lifer at that point, having played ten seasons in the NBA’s developmental ranks.
A pathway into and out of the NBA
At its core, the NBA G League is where players who aren’t quite ready to make it in the big leagues go to sharpen their tools and hone their skills.
Defensive stalwart Chris Andersen was the first player to be called up to the NBA from the G League in 2001, and since then, numerous players have gone on to become stars and even champions in the NBA. Among those names are Rudy Gobert, Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, Khris Middleton, Robert Covington, Danny Green, Gary Payton II, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga.
The G League can also serve as a way back into the league. This was the case for players like Gerald Green and Elfrid Payton.
While the G League provides a pathway for players to make it into the NBA, it can also mean the beginning of the end for some.
There have been NBA veterans who, for various reasons, found themselves out of the NBA and tried to revive their careers in the G League. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out, as was the case for guys like Antoine Walker, Anthony Bennett, RJ Hunter and Rodney Hood.