There are probably a few things more humbling than a bunch of teenagers calling you “unc.” For those who aren’t familiar with the term, “unc” is short for Uncle! Yes, if you didn’t know this, this article is probably a reality check for you.
In a new Bleacher Report video that’s going viral, Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and multiple other 2025 Draft rookies casually reveal what age they think someone becomes an unc.
Their answers? Brutal!
What Age Makes You an ‘Unc’ According to NBA Rookies?
“Anyone below 2000,” Harper joked without a shred of hesitation. Flagg ups the ante, claiming anyone born before 1995 is an ‘unc,’ making Giannis Antetokounmpo one!
Ace Bailey jumped in, saying anyone below 1997 or 1998 is ‘unc’ status now!
These are just a few opinions making the rounds of the new generation that has entered the league. The clip shared on X by Bleacher Report has fans reeling. In just under a minute, the group tosses out birth years like 1996, 1997, and even 2003 as an unofficial boundary for entering the brutal ‘unc’ territory.
Of course, the tone is lighthearted, but the message sure stings, especially for millennials who still think they’re in their prime.
The players laugh among themselves, fully aware of the generational jab they are delivering. At certain points, some of them can even be seen smirking around when they are delivering their proclamations.
Social media reactions to the post are just as funny. Some users are embracing this new label, replying with “Proud to be an unc,” while others choose to live in denial, insisting that “1997 is not that long ago.”
Still, the video offers a peek into how fast the cultural clock is ticking for athletes entering the league and just how young this next generation really is.
NBA rookies have determined what age you’re considered an “Unc” 😭😅 pic.twitter.com/GVe03aOeCF
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 18, 2025
It may come as a shock to anyone who is a Devin Booker fan, but for Kobe Brea, Booker (born 1996) is an ‘unc.’ Brea shared, “You gotta be in the 90s. I’m 2002, so I’m good.”
For Sion James, anyone who has a ’19’ at the beginning of their birth year is definitely an unc. And then, per Rasheer Fleming, who was born in the year 2004, if you were born before 2003, you’re an ‘unc.’
For Kon Knueppel, Nikola Jokić is also an ‘unc,’ since he was born in 1995 and is 30 years old.
The common consensus? Anyone whose birth year starts with a “1” is an uncle.
How Does This Generational Divide Impact the NBA?
Be it the first overall pick of this year’s draft or the last, the new generation is ready to take over the league. Their perspective, from their slang to social media humor, is leaving a mark before even officially playing for a minute in the league.
While the “unc” debate is all in good fun, it does raise a point: the NBA is getting younger and younger. There’s going to be a time when celebrated heroes LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and more will fade away into darkness.
