10 Ageless Wonders of the NBA

Age is a fickle friend, but in the NBA, it's a downright enemy.

As athletes get older, their skills tend to diminish, rendering their ability to make an impact nonexistent. The NBA as an entity is no exception to the rule, although it does boast a number of athletes who are.

With age comes susceptibility to injury, and there is just no way around it. However, there are certain players who remain exceptionally resilient to the wear and tear of professional basketball, continuing to perform at a high level despite what Father Time supposedly dictates.

Luis Scola

At 31, Luis Scola is the youngest player to appear here, yet his inclusion is justified.

Scola didn't enter the NBA until he was 27, and he has never played in fewer than 74 games over his career. He is the pillar of consistency, as his 15.8 points and six rebounds per game are as close to guaranteed as you'll get.

Despite playing the second most physical position in the league, Scola has managed to stay healthy, which is no easy feat; just ask Elton Brand or Amar'e Stoudemire. While the Argentinean is never going to dominate the stat lines, he is never going to disappear either.

There's a reason why Scola's contract isn't up until 2015, when he will be 35: The intricate manner in which he plays ensures that he will remain productive for years to come.

Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk Nowitzki is in his 14th season with the NBA, yet he has still shown he can carry the Dallas Mavericks on his 33-year-old back night in and night out.

Fresh off a season in which he singlehandedly propelled the Mavericks to an NBA title, Nowitzki has been nothing short of superb.

He continues to be the team's go-to scorer, and while his numbers are slightly down, that's the result of the entire Dallas team struggling to acclimate to one another.

The power forward is still averaging over 30 minutes per game in this compacted season, and he is still playing with the same fire he was over a decade ago. His ever-present abilities have even the younger Dwight Howard smitten about potentially pairing up with him next summer.

You can't buy that kind of respect, nor can you feign the kind of ageless talent that Nowitzki possesses.

Stephen Jackson

Stephen Jackson is no All-Star, but at the not-so-subtle age of 33, the shooting guard is still able to score at will.

After getting off to a slow start this season, Jackson's numbers are beginning to improve. He remains a threat to score from anywhere on the court and continues to be aggressive when driving the ball to the basket.

Jackson has a similar playing style to that of Vince Carter and Jason Richardson; the only difference is that he is still capable of pulling it off.

He was never as high a flyer as either, but his athleticism is still prevalent, which is more we can say for the other two.

Jackson has one more year after this one left on his contract, and he has shown no signs that he will not finish it out strong.

Paul Pierce

Fresh off an aggravated heel injury, Paul Pierce has been stagnant out the gate for the Boston Celtics. That being said, do we—especially those who buy into the possibility of the team dealing him—really expect this to last?

Not at all.

Pierce is not in basketball shape yet; he himself admitted to that. The season is still young, and while the small forward isn't, is there anybody else you would rather put the ball in the hands of with the game on the line?

Unless you answered Kobe Bryant or Carmelo Anthony, you're lying to yourself.

Even amidst early struggles, Pierce is still averaging 15.7 points and five rebounds per game, while shooting over 46 percent from downtown. That's a testament to his talent.

The Celtics' days as a contender are numbered or may have already passed, but what remains constant is Pierce's abilities. At 34, he's one of the best players in the game and is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Andre Miller

Andre Miller is reportedly unhappy with his role as a backup for the Denver Nuggets, and it's hard to refute the notion that he is still capable of being a starter.

Miller is averaging 9.4 points, 5.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game as a backup. He is still durable enough to play 30 or more minutes a night, and he remains one of the toughest floor generals in the league.

The Nuggets are unlikely to trade Miller to a team that would use him as a starter since things are going so well for the team, but that should come as no worry to the 35-year-old point guard.

At this rate, there are bound to be numerous teams willing to extend Miller a multi-year contract over the summer.

True story.

Jason Terry

Jason Kidd is beginning to show his age, but Jason Terry isn't.

In his 13th season, the 34-year-old guard is averaging 14.4 points and 3.8 assists in slightly under 30 minutes per game.

He is shooting the ball magnificently, especially from long range, and outside of Dirk Nowitzki, he is the only member of the Dallas Mavericks playing consistently.

At this stage of an NBA career, most would be fading off into the sunset, contemplating or being forced into retirement. But not Terry.

Terry will be a free agent at the end of this season, and the only way he retires is if it's on his own terms.

He has plenty of gas left in the tank, as he is performing at a star-caliber level after more than a decade's worth of miles on his body.

Manu Ginobili

When Manu Ginobili sustained a broken bone in his left hand, it was a fluke only the game of basketball could provide, not a sign of his age.

Prior to the injury, the 34-year-old shooting guard was lighting it up, averaging 17.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. More importantly, he was shooting over 50 percent from three-point range and nearly 60 percent from the field overall.

For the better part of a decade, Ginobili has given the San Antonio Spurs one of the most lethal scoring weapons in the league, and there is no doubt he will pick right back up from where he left off when he returns.

The Spurs have remained a part of the championship conversation, and he is one of the premier reasons why.

Sure, Ginobili's age is climbing, but so are his statistics.

Ray Allen

The deadliest shooter in the NBA is 36 years old, and his name is Ray Allen.

Allen's Boston Celtics have struggled early on, but he has proven to be a bright spot amidst an ocean of uncertainty.

He is averaging 16.5 points and three rebounds per game, while shooting a more than impressive 57.4 percent from beyond the arc.

For almost two decades, Allen has been one of the purest shooters the game of basketball has ever seen.

That being said, expectations weren't high heading into this season, as we have seen what age and injuries can do to high-volume shooters like Michael Redd.

Much to a majority of the basketball world's chagrin, though, Allen is playing like he wants another contract after this one is up at the end of the season.

You can bet your rainy-day fund that he is going to get one.

Steve Nash

Steve Nash defies the correlation that has been established in the NBA between age and production.

The 37-year-old point guard remains one of the most elusive players in the game and continues to average double figures in assists per game despite having lower-level talent around him.

After Amar'e Stoudemire left the Phoenix Suns for the New York Knicks, Nash's court vision came under question. Not only was he aging, but he had lost his most dangerous weapon as well.

He wound up leaving his doubters in a catatonic state, though, as he went on to have one of the best seasons of his career, averaging 14.7 points and 11.4 assists per game.

The Suns are not a playoff-caliber team, but Nash makes them a threat to win on any given night. He is closing in on 40, yet he remains more talented than many of the athletes nearly half his age.

If that doesn't qualify as an ageless wonder, then what does?

Kobe Bryant

Searching for an injury-prone superstar? Look no further, as Kobe Bryant's docket is one of the longest. Hoping to find a player who has succumbed to the rigors of age? Well, you're in the wrong place.

Bryant is constantly getting hurt, yet he is constantly playing through his injuries. His latest wrist injury proved to be less than a minor bump in the road, as he went on to average 40 points per game over the course of one week.

On the season, the 33-year-old Bryant is averaging 30.8 points, 5.5 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. He is having an MVP-caliber year and has given the Los Angeles Lakers and their fans reason to believe they are still championship contenders.

With the way Bryant has been playing as of late, he could very well wind up averaging his age in points per game. Is that a bold prediction? Definitely, but not an unfathomable or unreachable one.

You see, unlike most athletes on the wrong side of 30, anything is possible for Bryant. Anything at all.

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