Watch NBA stars morph from rookies into vets in these mesmerizing GIFs

Our favorite ballers are reeling in the years.
 By 
Sam Laird
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

NBA stars: They grow up so fast, you know?

One season, your favorite player is a young rookie full of promise. Then, what feels like a few months later, your guy is a grown-ass man with a bushy beard and the sneaky veteran's bag of tricks to match.

That's why these 10 GIFs are so completely mesmerizing -- they cram years of growth and evolution into just a couple seconds.

A few months back, we showed you an eye-popping GIF that illustrates LeBron James' progression from teenage rookie to NBA demigod. Now the folks behind that animation, SportsBettingExperts.com, are back with more. Bless them for it.

Here's Houston Rockets star James Harden, also known by his nickname, "The Beard." Not that long ago, he was a (relatively) fresh-faced rookie for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now? Not so much.

Via Giphy

Here's power forward Chris Andersen, who's undergone quite a transformation himself over the years.

Via Giphy

New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis has gotten hairier, too.

Via Giphy

But Carmelo Anthony has gone in the opposite direction since entering the league as a long-haired Denver Nuggets rookie in 2003.

Via Giphy

Meanwhile, back-to-back league MVP Steph Curry hasn't changed much.

Via Giphy

Now here's a look at his new teammate in Golden State, Kevin Durant.

Via Giphy

What's that, you say? More? Can't get enough?

Well, you came to the right place.

Here's Russell Westbrook, the NBA's face-melting meteor.

Via Giphy

Here's Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul.

Via Giphy

Here's Dwyane Wade, who's playing back in his hometown of Chicago after spending his first 13 NBA seasons with the Miami Heat.

Via Giphy

And finally, here's King James (again) reeling in the years.

Via Giphy
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Sam Laird

Sam Laird is Mashable's Senior Sports Reporter. He covers the wide, weird world of sports from all angles -- as well as occasional other topics -- from Mashable's San Francisco bureau. Before joining Mashable in November 2011, his freelance work appeared in publications including the New York Times, New York Times Magazine, Slam, and East Bay Express. Sam is a graduate of UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz, and basketball and burritos take up most of his spare time. Follow him on Twitter @samcmlaird.

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