The first woman to ever play at Rucker Park is improving on another title for her illustrious career - Nancy Lieberman will be the oldest woman to ever suit up for the WNBA at 50 years of age with the seven-day contract she just signed to join the Detroit Shock.
Lieberman was the oldest player in WNBA history when she played with the Phoenix Mercury when the League first started in 1997. By leaving the broadcast booth, she’s killing her own record this time around.
We’ve seen Julio Franco play into his late 40s in Major League Baseball - but is this something that could happen in the NBA?
Source: ESPN.com
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July 24th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
doc says:
If it was MJ coming back I could see him being a average backup at 50.But he wont embarrass himself like that.Good for her but she will get cooked out there.
July 24th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Joe says:
Just another reason nobody respects the WNBA. This is something a minor league baseball team would do to drum up business.
July 24th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Simon says:
NBA at 50? Someone could do it, and probably will do it some day, but the question is whether or not they deserve to be there. Even though there is a new trend of NBA players leaving to go to Europe, I still think you can say the best players in the world play in the NBA. Basically, you can’t tell me a 50 year old man would be in the top 300 basketball players in the world.
July 24th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
fiyaman says:
wtf .. whats the point? if she even scaore 1 pt whoever she scores on needs to get their contract revoked…. and Yell no this wont happen in the NBA unless its some charity game.. No GM is gonna sign a 50 yr old when u got dudes thats dying for a chance..
July 24th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Harvey Dent says:
She might get roasted out there. I heard she was the business back in the day though…
July 24th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
daQuesT?On says:
a 50 year old player cant play in the nba, first he wnt be able to run fast enough, he wont be able t jump enough , he would be getting dunked on and receiving blocks
July 24th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Homeless J says:
[obligatory Dikembe Mutumbo age joke goes here]
seriously I hope a trade or something goes down, or JR Rider robs a liquor store, or something NBA-newsworthy occurs. I’d even settle for Birdman Andersen being caught on video in Vegas doing lines off of naked strippers and talking about that time he was in the dunk contest and fucked up like 300 attempts in a row while everyone sat and shook their heads in disgust.
July 24th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Austin Burton says:
How close did Robert Parish get to 50 before he retired?
July 24th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Simon says:
He was 43 when he retired with the Bulls
July 24th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Tom Toronto says:
I swear Mutombo is already over 50 and he’ll probably play for 5 more years.
July 24th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
sans says:
I think wilt could have done it for 10-14 minutes a night. If he were alive today, he’d get dunked on less than DJ Mbenga.
July 24th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Diego says:
Didn’t Wilt take up professional volleyball when he was about 50 or so?
July 24th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Austin Burton says:
Gordie Howe was like 60 playing in the NHL, wasn’t he?
July 24th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
B Nice says:
two words kevin willis
July 25th, 2008 at 12:58 am
Kobepinky says:
Caught the end of the game… Nancy was old, slow and defenseless, but somehow made the game watchable.. Great way for Detroit to take some focus away from the other night.. I seriously take my hat off to Nacy, I don’t know to many 50 year old women (and men for that matter!) that would get through warm ups let alone actually getting on court.. Nancy still had the no look pass going..
July 25th, 2008 at 3:01 am
Amar says:
sheet, i got winded playing in my bball league at the Y this evening (note to self: don’t eat a footlong sub right before, it doesn’t help) . . . props to nancy. her bball IQ must be off the charts though.
July 25th, 2008 at 3:05 am
Amar says:
the only way that a 50 yr old guy would play is based on a few factors.
i) would have to be at a position that doesn’t rely entirely on speed and athleticism (i.e. center)
ii) the guy would have to be very crafty, and have a high bball iq to counter the fact that he’s old and not super athletic anymore
iii) dude would have to have been lucky not to have been injured much as a player (old musculoskeletal injuries get worse with age)
iv) guy must have kept in shape all this time
v) he’s have to have a really good reason to get back on the court.
the only types of guys I can see would be like sabonis/vlade types. they both had careers for a few seasons AFTER they retired from the NBA. malone would be a candidate as he still works out everyday like he was still playing 3 games in 4 nights . . . but he has no desire to play basketball professionally.
July 25th, 2008 at 3:39 am
Phileus says:
I agree with Amar.
I think that a center position would be easiest to play well into old age, but we all know that physical big men’s knees, feet and ankles don’t hold up that long.
But what about someone like Reggie Miller? I know he nixed a comeback with the Celtics, but if he were coming off the bench for 10 minutes a night as a shooting specialist, does anyone doubt he could still be effective?
Also with Lieberman we’re talking a seven day stint, not a full season. I think Reggie could do his thing till the day he dies.
Austin, the Gordie Howe thing was a publicity stunt, not legit playing…
July 25th, 2008 at 4:21 am
karan says:
if MJ returned to play for the bobcats today, he would still be the third best player on the team (behind j-rich and gerald wallace)
July 25th, 2008 at 8:01 am
Foges says:
Greg Oden could be that guy in the Rookie Game ?