Seasons for the Ages (Part 2)

Choosing the best seasons in NBA history from age 30 through age 40.

I thought it might be fun to pick what I think is the best NBA season at each age* for players ranging from 19 to 40 years old. Although I gave a lot weight to the statistical evidence, this was definitely part art and part science, meaning I didn’t rely on a single statistic or formula to produce an answer.

* Player age is calculated on Feb. 1 of the given campaign, which is roughly the halfway point of the regular season.

This is the second part of a two-part series (here’s a link to part one, where I covered players 19 to 29 years old). Today, I’ll cover players in the age range from 30 to 40 years.

Age 30: Wilt Chamberlain, 1966-67

Chamberlain made a concerted effort to involve his teammates more in 1966-67, and it paid off in a big way. On a per-game basis, he ranked fifth in the NBA in scoring (24.1 PPG), first in rebounding (24.2 RPG), and third in assists (7.8 APG) while appearing in all 81 games. Chamberlain also set a then-NBA-record by converting 68.3% of his shots from the field. His Philadelphia 76ers set a league record with 68 wins (since broken), then defeated the San Francisco Warriors 4-2 in the Finals to give Chamberlain his first NBA title.

Honorable Mention (in chronological order): Bill Russell, 1964-65; Larry Bird, 1986-87; Magic Johnson, 1989-90; David Robinson, 1995-96.

Age 31: Hakeem Olajuwon, 1993-94

A “Dream” season for Olajuwon in which he won the MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP Awards (he’s still the only player to pull off that trifecta). In 80 games played, Olajuwon averaged 27.3 PPG (third in the league), 11.9 RPG (fourth), and 3.7 BPG (second) while shooting 52.8% from the field (10th) for a Houston Rockets team that finished second in the NBA with 58 wins. The Rockets were even better in the playoffs, winning the franchises’s first title as Olajuwon averaged 28.9 PPG, 11.0 RPG, and 4.0 BPG in 23 games.

Honorable Mention: Wilt Chamberlain, 1967-68; Larry Bird, 1987-88; Magic Johnson, 1990-91; LeBron James, 2015-16.

Age 32: Michael Jordan, 1995-96

Playing his first full campaign after an abrupt retirement following the 1992-93 season, Jordan and the Chicago Bulls ran roughshod over the NBA. Jordan won his fourth MVP Award, averaging 30.4 PPG (first in the NBA), 6.6 RPG, 4.3 APG, and 2.2 SPG (third) while playing all 82 games. He was efficient, as usual, recording 49.5/42.7/83.4 shooting splits. The Bulls became the first team in NBA history to win 70 games, posting a 72-10 record in the regular season. In the postseason, Chicago picked up its fourth championship in six seasons, as Jordan took home Finals MVP honors for the fourth time.

Honorable Mention: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 1979-80; Karl Malone, 1995-96; David Robinson, 1997-98; LeBron James, 2016-17.