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Carmelo Anthony: Five Legends Who Won First Title After 30

By Maxwell Ogden

Aug 12, 2016; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; United States forward Carmelo Anthony (15) looks on during the game Serbia in the preliminary round of the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 1. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 12, 2016; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; United States forward Carmelo Anthony (15) looks on during the game Serbia in the preliminary round of the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 1. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /
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Rick Barry

Whenever someone tells you that no one player can lead their team to an NBA championship, point them to 1975. Rick Barry led a genuinely starless Golden State Warriors squad to an improbable title run.

At the time, Barry was 31 years of age—a sign that a small forward who’s past the age of 30 can still win an NBA championship as the No. 1 option.

With a rookie Jamaal Wilkes as his second option, Barry did the unthinkable in 1974-75. He averaged 30.6 points, 6.2 assists, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.9 steals as Golden State secured a 48-34 regular season record.

The only other players in NBA history to average at least 30.0 points, 6.0 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game: Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson, Dwyane Wade, and Jerry West.

During the 1975 NBA Finals, Barry averaged 29.5 points in 43.0 minutes per game. Golden State’s second-leading scorer was Wilkes at 11.5 points per game on 32.1 percent shooting from the field, and no one else on the roster even averaged 30 minutes per game during the Finals.

If Barry proved anything, it’s that a player beyond the age of 30 can still win a first NBA championship—and dominate while at it.

Next: 1994-95

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