This is a review on the unique rookies of the NBA. They are considered unique because they enter NBA as rookie in their 30's. In this review, it is also stated the reasons why they joined late, their nationality, and their previous professional league before joining NBA.
A rookie refers to the new member of the team. Sometimes called as a novice. A player is considered to be a rookie if he is playing in his first year or season of the league. They are new but it does not mean they are very young. Some teams prefer young professional because they have longer playing years in the team, very active because of their age and these players has many more to show or prove. Some teams also prefer rookies who have proven themselves on the court and which they think will the team most benefited. Every year, NBA awarded the most outstanding rookie of the year.
The answer is YES. There are professionals who are at their 30's and became a NBA rookie. What is their reason why they enter late? Well, maybe it is a choice. Some players have a calling to play for amateur basketball league in which they played for their country. They choose amateur league before entering the professional league. Some also joined late because the opportunity did not come when they are younger.
top 5: ANTOINE RIGAUDEAU
top 4: PERO ANTIC
top 3 ARVYDAS SABONIS
top 2: MARCELO HUERTAS
the oldest 1: PABLO PRIGIONI
ANTOINE RIGAUDEAU
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Rigaudeau was at 31 years old when he was drafted and made his debut in the NBA. He has made himself as a candidate for the 1993 draft. Unfortunately he was not drafted and went back to France and played in french league. Ten years after, he signed a contract with Dallas maverick last January 19, 2003. He only played 11 games in his NBA career and retired after suffering a knee injury. With his record, he is averaging 1.5 points, 0.7 rebound, and 0.5 assists. He has a good European professional basketball career and awarded as FIBA Hall of Fame in 2015. And now, he is currently the head coach of the french league club called Levallois Metropolitans.
PERO ANTIC
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Pero Antic is a Macedonian national that plays professional for Crvena zvezda of ABA and Euroleague. Antic also made his debut at 31 years old, when he signed a contract with the Atlanta Hawks in 2013. Originally, he tried to be drafted into the NBA in 2004, but he went undrafted. Eventually, he stayed in the NBA for two season, before returning to Europe. On July 25, 2013, Antic signed a two-year contract with the Atlanta Hawks making him an NBA rookie at 31 years. He featured for the Hawks for two seasons averaging 6.3 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in 17.4 mins on the court. He returned to Europe after the two-year stint in the league.
ARVYDAS SABONIS
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This Lithuanian was already a huge basketball star in Europe, but he did not make his debut in the NBA until age 31. Unlike the previous players on this last,Sabonis was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the 1986 NBA draft.He was drafted with the 24th pick in the 1986 draft, but he declined to come over to play in the United States. He did not play his first NBA game until the age of 31 in 1995.. At this moment, his son, Domantas Sabonis, is playing for the Indiana Pacers. By the time he came to the NBA, he was a fully-fledged professional basketball star. Until Ralph Sampson’s induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Sabonis was the tallest inductee at 7ft 3”
MARCELO HUERTAS
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Born on 25th May 1983, Huertas made his debut in the NBA in 2015 for the LA Lakers. At that time, he was 32 years old. Back in 2005, ten years before he actually played in the NBA, he made himself eligible for the draft, but he went undrafted. On September 9th, 2015, Huertas signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2015 making him an NBA rookie at 32 years. After signing a multi-year contract with the Lakers in 2016, he was acquired by the Houston Rockets, along with a Traded Player Exception, from the Lakers in exchange for Tyler Ennis and the draft rights to Brad Newley. The Houston Rockets later placed the contract of Marcelo Huertas on waivers. His entire NBA career only lasted two seasons and then he returned to Europe to play for Baskonia.
PABLO PRIGIONI
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Prigioni is the oldest NBA rookie on this list. Born on May 17th, 1977, Prigioni is by far the oldest rookie to ever play in the NBA. He made his NBA debut on November 2nd, 2012 at 35 years. He played his rookie season with the Knicks and averaged 3.5 points, 3 assists, 0.9 steal and 1.8 rebounds in 16 minutes. He was a decent minimum budget off-the-bench player in the NBA. His experience in Europe meant that he didn’t necessarily need to prove that he could play. The New York Knicks made him a very lucrative proposal that was hard to turn down. He had played at the highest level in Europe and had developed into one of the best point guards in Europe.
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