For over two decades, names like LeBron James and Stephen Curry have been the first to come to the mind of nearly every avid sports fan when basketball comes into discussion. Even those who do not follow sports can recognize their names as basketball players who are arguably at the top of the NBA. This holds true across multiple sports, as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been the faces of soccer, and Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers used to be that for football.
However, all these players share something in common; they are now old. For the most part, they do not have full heads of white hair or wrinkles across their faces, but they are all over ten years older than their professional league’s average age. Although those still playing are filling the stat sheets, they are seeing a drop-off from their previous years.
Looking at stats this season, James is averaging 3.8 fewer points, 0.8 fewer steals and 0.2 fewer blocks than his career averages. The Player vs Time graph above shows a similar decline in Messi and Rodgers’ stats this season as well. Messi is averaging 0.23 fewer goals per match, 0.18 fewer assists and 12.3 fewer appearances per year and Rodgers is averaging 32 fewer passing yards per game, a 0.4% higher interception rate and 7.6 fewer touchdowns per year.
Although the players that many fans have grown to love are on their decline, there are some young players in each sport that are rising to stardom, with players like Anthony Edwards in the NBA, CJ Stroud in the NFL and Lamine Yamal in the soccer world making their mark in their respective sports.
This generational shift is evident as more young stars are emerging and achieving accolades. In the NBA, young talents like Jayson Tatum and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have moved into the top five of the MVP conversation this season, challenging established names like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic who even still aren’t in their thirties. In soccer, Lamine Yamal’s meteoric rise and contribution to Spain winning the European Championship at just 16 years old has already placed him among the best youngsters in the world. CJ Stroud is making headway in the NFL as well, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year, making his first Pro Bowl and leading his team to a division title last season.
These players are controlling the stat sheets and earning the accolades that were once dominated by the older generation. As older stars like James, Messi, and Rodgers age out and are sadly nearing their retirements, the new generation is becoming more skilled, athletic, and versatile, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in their respective sports. This combination of the older generation’s decline and the younger generation’s rapid rise is fueling a shift in the athletic landscape. A generation of elevation.
The future of sports seems more promising than ever. The next generation is not only filling the shoes of their predecessors but also setting new standards for their disciplines. Sports are in good hands moving forward, and the next era of greatness is already unfolding.
“These old, broken-down NBA players talking about their era and how they were back then, and the players today are not as good as they were back then,” former NBA player Larry Bird said in the 2019 NBA Awards Ceremony, “It’s just amazing how these guys are playing the game today, and I couldn’t be prouder of them.”
