The season will feature a number of veterans looking to prove they still have what it takes to compete at the highest level, as well as young talents hoping to make a mark.
1. Udonis Haslem (42)
Udonis Haslem, who was born on June 9, 1980, is the only active player from the 2002 NBA draft class. He went undrafted that year and ended up making his debut in 2003 with the Miami Heat. Haslem has spent his entire career with the Heat. During his early years in the league, he was a reliable power forward who provided support to Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal.
Miami could count on Haslem to secure rebounds and score second chance points. This all changed when the big three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh was born. Haslem found himself playing reduced minutes, which gave him fewer opportunities to contribute. Nevertheless, he ended up winning two more rings.
2. Andre Iguodala (38)
Born on January 28, 1984, Andre Iguodala is one of the three remaining active players from the 2004 NBA draft class. The other two from that class are Dwight Howard and Trevor Ariza.
Iguodala started playing in the league with the Philadelphia 76ers. He averaged 15.3 points, 4.9 assists, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.7 steals for the team. Surprisingly, he was never considered an All-Star even once until his final season with the 76ers.
In 2013, he became an important role player for the Golden State Warriors. Iguodala won four NBA championships, alongside Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. He even won the 2015 Finals MVP award for shutting down LeBron James in that series.
3. LeBron James (37)
Another active player from the 2003 draft class who some consider the greatest of all time is LeBron James. He was born on December 30, 1984. Nicknamed "The Chosen One" as a high schooler, James was expected to be special.
Entering his 20th season, James is looking to beat the all-time scoring record held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
LeBron James is a four-time NBA champion, four-time Finals MVP, and four-time league MVP. He was the Rookie of the Year in 2003 and received 19 consecutive All-Star selections.
James has never averaged below 20 points a season so far. He's currently averaging 27.1 points, 7.4 assists, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in his career.
4. P.J. Tucker (37)
P.J. Tucker was born on May 5, 1985. He was selected 35th overall in the 2006 NBA draft by the Toronto Raptors. He played for the team from 2006-07. Following his tenure with the Raptors, he went on to play for several teams in several countries, before returning to the NBA with the Phoenix Suns.
After stints with the Toronto Raptors (2017), Houston Rockets (2017-2021), Milwaukee Bucks (2021), and Miami Heat (2021-22), he signed a three-year, $33.2 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.
5. Chris Paul (37)
Christopher Emmanuel "Chris" Paul was born on May 6, 1985. Widely regarded as one of the greatest point guards of all time, Paul was selected fourth overall by the New Orleans Hornets in the 2005 NBA Draft.
His debut season was impressive as he led all rookies in points, steals, assists, and double-doubles. His debut season resulted in a Rookie of the Year award. He averaged 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 7.8. assists and 2.2 steals in his first season.
Chris Paul has played for a number of teams during his career -- New Orleans Hornets (2005-11), LA Clippers (2011-17), Houston Rockets (2017-19), Oklahoma City Thunder (2019-20). He's been with the Phoenix Suns since 2020.
Along with the Rookie of the Year award, Paul has also received an All-Star Game MVP award, and two Olympic gold medals. He has been selected for 12 All-Star teams, 11 All-NBA teams, nine All-Defense teams, and the NBA's 75th Anniversary team.
