"It's kind of crazy when people tell you you're one of the 10 oldest guys in the league," he said Wednesday at the NU Rebounders Club golf fundraiser.

"I don't realize it as much as people close to me. My dad or my friends in Omaha will smile and laugh and say, 'Can you believe you're still playing?' To me, it's pretty cool."

Cool enough that Piatkowski, despite turning 37 in September, has no plans to retire from the Phoenix Suns.

"Part of it is I really can't figure out what I want to do when I retire," he said. "I have some ideas. But coaches in the league I talk to tell me I can play until I'm 40.

"Unless I suffer an injury or someone tells me they don't want me around anymore, I probably will play until I'm 40. I'm having a blast."

The 6-foot-7 swingman played a career-low 11 games this season with the Suns, averaging 2.5 points and 0.8 rebounds. As recently as two seasons ago with the Chicago Bulls, he played in 69 games.

But playing time isn't the driving force for Piatkowski now, after nine seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers , one with Houston, two with Chicago and one with Phoenix.

"I'm with a great team and a class organization," he said. "I couldn't go to a losing organization now.

"I understand my role in Phoenix. From me, they want veteran leadership and to help the young guys. Instead of having some young guy who's a loose cannon on the end of the bench, they want guys like me and who work hard and set an example."

Piatkowski was a two-time first-team All-Big Eight pick, and he is the No. 2 all-time scorer at Nebraska with 1,934 points. Dave Hoppen is first with 2,167.

The "Polish Rifle" went in the first round of the 1994 NBA draft to Indiana, and he was traded the next morning to the Los Angeles Clippers .

He started as many as 64 games in a season (in 2001-02 with the Los Angeles Clippers ). His highest scoring average was 11.3 points in 1997-98 with the Los Angeles Clippers .

Piatkowski is still one of the NBA's top all-time 3-point shooters, with a career average of 40 percent. Often, he acts as a de facto shooting coach for the Suns' young players.

"If you work hard in practice, you'll get the young players' respect and they will listen to you," he said. "I can see things with their shots in practice or games and tell them. The coaching staff likes that I do that."

Piatkowski said he occasionally has been reminded of his old-timer status.

Two years ago, during a morning practice with the Bulls, Piatkowski had difficulty getting loose. That prompted teammate Luol Deng to ask if something was wrong.

"I said, 'Lu, do you realize I'm 15 years older than you?' " Piatkowski said. "It takes me a little while to get going."

To what does Piatkowski attribute his NBA longevity?

"Hard work," he said. "I'm really, really into taking care of my body. I work out every single day in the off-season, and sometimes twice a day."

Hunger and fear never hurt, either.

"I'm paranoid a little about losing my job, so I never take it for granted," he said. "I love what I do. There is nothing about it I don't like.

"People ask about the travel and being away from your family. But I think I've got the best job in the world."

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