Longest careers in NBA history, ranked

Today at 09:25 PM

What LeBron James is doing in the NBA is not normal. The 39-year-old, who isn’t far away from turning 40, is heading into his 22nd season in NBA. James was viewed as the best prospect in league history back in 2003, and he has done nothing but live up to expectations ever since. The hooper nicknamed the King will tie the NBA record for seasons played this year, and he will do so alongside his rookie son, Bronny James.

The father-son duo illustrates just how unbelievable James’ longevity is, but he isn’t the only basketball player to beat Father Time. In this article, we are going to look at the longest careers in NBA history when it comes to total seasons played. All of these players stuck in the NBA for a long time, but each one of them has a different reason why they were so valued by various NBA teams. So, check out the gallery below.

Note: * indicates an active player who won’t officially hit the mark for seasons played until the 2024 season starts

22 NBA seasons

Players: Vince Carter, LeBron James*

This season will be LeBron James’ 22nd in the NBA, but he isn’t the first player to hit that mark. Vince Carter played on eight different teams over the course of 22 years. Carter’s longevity is impressive on a number of fronts. Firstly, Carter played three seasons in college, whereas James came to the NBA straight out of high school.

Carter was drafted a year after his younger cousin, Tracy McGrady, for that same reason. Additionally, Carter’s longevity is impressive because he is most known for his athletic ability, but athleticism isn’t usually what makes for a long NBA career. With age comes athletic regression, which typically makes IQ, fundamentals, and skill the most important traits for older players.

Carter is one of, if not the very best, dunker in NBA history. After all, he was nicknamed “Air Canada” during his time with the Toronto Raptors. Don’t get it twisted, though; Carter was much more than just a dunker. He was also an elite three-point shooter, and he now ranks ninth in all-time makes from beyond the arc.

Carter ended his career in iconic fashion. The 2020 season was cut short because of COVID-19, and in the final seconds of what ended up being his last NBA game, Carter subbed in and knocked down an overtime three-pointer. Carter is the only player to play in four different decades.

While James will tie Carter’s record this season, he has a chance of sticking in the NBA for a while longer. James signed a new two-year deal to stick with his son and the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason. He is already cemented as one of the greatest players ever, which means he could retire at any given moment after this season, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see James sticking around for years to come.

The four-time champion is still playing at an elite level. Considering he averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game last year, James is still one of the 10 best players in the NBA, and he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. James longevity is a testament to his impressive durability and his out-of-this world frame. James simply has the body type that gives him an edge over his peers, both in terms of competitive advantage and actually staying healthy enough to see court time.

21 NBA seasons

Players: Robert Parish, Kevin Willis, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki

All four of the NBA players who played 21 seasons are legendary big men. Kevin Garnett and Dirk Nowitzki both have a case as the best power forward ever, and they both played at the same time. Garnett played with ruthless aggression, which is why he stuffed the stat sheet during his time with the Minnesota Timberwolves before eventually winning an iconic championship with the Boston Celtics.

Nowitzki revolutionized the game, popularizing shooting from the big man positions while simultaneously expanding the game worldwide as one of the best European players ever. The two power forwards put up nearly identical resumes during their 21 seasons in the league. They both won one championship and one MVP award. Garnett only made one more All-Star Game (15) than Nowitzki did.

Robert Parish actually ranks first all time in games played. The center played in 1,611 total games, so not only did he last in the NBA for a long time, but he was always available. After being a part of one of the biggest trade fleeces ever (Parish and Kevin McHale for Joe Barry Carroll), Parish became the defensive anchor on a Boston Celtics dynasty during the ’80s.

Kevin Willis is the surprise name to have had such a long NBA career. Willis was more of a role player than a star, as he never had a 20 point-per-game season, and he was certainly a journeyman. The 1984 draftee played for a new team 10 different times, and he was predominantly a backup from 1996 to 2007.

Willis’ longevity, despite not being a star, is even more impressive considering he missed the entirety of his age-26 season with a knee injury and the entirety of his age-43 season because of retirement. Willis played until he was 44 years and 224 days old, making him the second oldest NBA player ever (trailing Nat Hickey).

20 NBA seasons

Players: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Jamal Crawford, Udonis Haslem, Chris Paul*

Once the 2024-25 season is underway, Chris Paul will join the elite crop of players who played two decades worth of NBA seasons. Paul will be doing it on a new team, but he has thrived wherever he has suited up. The point guard’s stereotypical floor general skill set has been coveted around the league for a long time, but it will be particularly useful in ensuring Victor Wembanyama gets the ball this season.

While the reigning Rookie of the Year had a phenomenal first year in the NBA, and he already looks like a star, the Spurs often struggled to get him the ball as much as they should have because of poor point guard play. Paul will fix that issue. While Paul is most known for his facilitating ability, two players who played 20 NBA seasons are more known for putting the ball through the basket. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored more than everyone not named LeBron, as his 38,387 career points rank second in that regard, per NBA.com. His patented sky hook is considered by many to be the most unstoppable signature move in sports history.

Kobe Bryant was a pretty good scorer himself, too. His 33,643 career points are the fourth most ever. Bryant won five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, the same team that Abdul-Jabbar won five rings with (he won a sixth with the Milwaukee Bucks). Ranking the greatest Lakers of all time is a hard task, but these two are certainly up there, and they are pretty close to the top for all-time NBA players overall, too.

The other two players with 20 seasons to their names, Jamal Crawford and Udonis Haslem, weren’t superstars, but they were well respected around the league. Crawford has one of the best highlight reels ever due to his incredible handles and shot-making prowess. Haslem was somewhat of an enforcer, and he spent a good chunk of his career as more of a player-coach of sorts than a player relied upon to play heavy minutes. Haslem spent his entire career with the Miami Heat, and he is the picture perfect example of what the Heat culture is all about.

19 NBA seasons

Players: Moses Malone, James Edwards, John Stockton, Karl Malone, Charles Oakley, Shaquille O’Neal, Juwan Howard, Jason Kidd, Tim Duncan, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry, Tyson Chandler, Carmelo Anthony, Andre Iguodala, Kyle Lowry*

This season, Kyle Lowry will join the 14 other NBA players who played 19 total seasons. Lowry was a late bloomer, as he didn’t catch his stride until his third NBA team, and he didn’t make an All-Star Game until his age-28 season. Lowry’s later-than-usual emergence led to him having an underrated and impressive career. The point guard will be playing this season with the Philadelphia 76ers.

There is plenty more talent from players who played 19 seasons, too. Moses Malone won three MVPs, and Shaquille O’Neal is called the “most dominant” player ever by many. John Stockton and Karl Malone racked up huge numbers together as a fantastic duo with the Utah Jazz, and Jason Kidd was a big numbers guy, too, as he was one of the best triple-double experts ever.

Paul Pierce and Carmelo Anthony were forces scoring the ball, and Tyson Chandler was incredible at preventing players from scoring the ball. Tim Duncan is even arguably the greatest power forward in league history. Even Andre Iguodala was in the league long enough to go from superstar on a team he led to role player on a dynasty in the Golden State Warriors.

James Edwards, Charles Oakley, and Juwan Howard are the three biggest surprises to have lasted that long in the NBA. Edwards never made an All-Star Game, while Oakley and Howard only made one. Edwards was a reliable low-post scorer, though, and Oakley was the hired gun for a lot of different superstars around the league. Howard was perhaps more known for being a part of Michigan’s Fab Five in college, but he clearly had a pretty impressive professional career as well.

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