For a player, the age of 40 is indeed a difficult hurdle to overcome. They either retire or wander around, but there are always some independent players who remain at the superstar level, such as 40-year-old Malone and 40-year-old James. These two are among the most disciplined players in NBA history. They are truly evergreen legends.
40-year-old Karl Malone
Karl Malone was selected by the NBA Jazz in the 15th pick of the 85 season. He played for 19 seasons in the NBA, serving only two teams throughout his career: 18 seasons with the Jazz and 1 season with the Lakers. His attendance rate is astonishing, with 10 out of 19 seasons being full attendance and 17 seasons having an attendance rate of around 80 games. This is something even Jordan and James, such great players, could not achieve. Throughout his career, he averaged 25+10+3 stats. In his final year at the age of 40, he joined the Lakers in pursuit of a championship title, forming the F4 with O'Neal, Kobe, Payton, and Malone. Unfortunately, he did not win the championship and retired mercilessly. At the age of 40, Karl Malone still played 40 games for the Lakers, averaging 13.2+8.7+4 stats.
40-year-old James
From 03 to 10, James played for the Cavaliers; from 10 to 14, he played for the Heat; from 14 to 18, he returned to the Cavaliers; and since 18, he has been with the Lakers. Over these 21 seasons, no matter which team he joined, he was always the core player and won championships for three different teams. This honor belongs solely to James. Up to now, at the age of 40, James has played 28 games for the Lakers, averaging 35 minutes per game and scoring 23.5+8+9 stats. At 40, he is still a top-tier player in the league. Scoring is just a minor thing; the last two stats are the most terrifying: an average of 8 rebounds and 9 assists, which are irreplaceable for a team.
Through the above comparison, it is clear that these two players are representative soul figures of the league at the age of 40. Karl Malone lost twice in the finals to Jordan, while James reached the finals 10 times and won 4 championships, encountering the god-level team Spurs and the five-star team Warriors six times.
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