History

NBA players with the most seasons played in history

Which players enjoyed the longest NBA careers? Check out this list of veteran greats.

Vince Carter #15 of the Toronto Raptors dunks the ball against the Denver Nuggets at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada circa 2001.

Vince Carter is the only NBA player to have a career spanning 22 seasons.

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Only six players have enjoyed the privilege of playing in the NBA for more than 20 seasons – Vince Carter, LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Garnett, Kevin Willis and Robert Parish.

Check out the list of the longest careers in NBA history, and pay homage to some of the all-time greats. All totals listed are in the regular season.

  1. Vince Carter: 22 seasons, 1,541 games played (Raptors, Nets, Magic, Suns, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Hawks, Kings)
  2. *LeBron James: 21 seasons, 1,492 games played (Cavaliers, Heat, Lakers)
  3. Dirk Nowitzki: 21 seasons, 1,522 games played (Mavericks)
  4. Kevin Garnett: 21 seasons, 1,462 games played (Timberwolves, Celtics, Nets)
  5. Kevin Willis: 21 seasons, 1,424 games played (Hawks, Heat, Warriors, Rockets, Nuggets, Spurs, Mavericks)
  6. Robert Parish: 21 seasons, 1,611 games played (Warriors, Celtics, Hornets, Bulls)
  7. Udonis Haslem: 20 seasons, 879 games played (Heat)
  8. Jamal Crawford: 20 seasons, 1,327 games played (Bulls, Knicks, Warriors, Hawks, Trail Blazers, Clippers, Timberwolves, Suns, Nets)
  9. Kobe Bryant: 20 seasons, 1,346 games played (Lakers) 
  10. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 20 seasons, 1,560 games played (Bucks, Lakers) 
  11. *Chris Paul: 19 seasons, 1,272 games played (Hornets, Clippers, Rockets, Thunder, Suns, Warriors, Spurs)
  12. Andre Iguodala: 19 seasons, 1,231 games played (76ers, Nuggets, Warriors, Heat)
  13. Carmelo Anthony: 19 seasons, 1,260 games played (Nuggets, Knicks, Thunder, Rockets, Blazers, Lakers)
  14. Tyson Chandler: 19 seasons, 1,160 games played (Bulls, Hornets, Bobcats, Mavericks, Knicks, Suns, Lakers, Rockets)
  15. Jason Terry: 19 seasons, 1,410 games played (Hawks, Mavericks, Celtics, Nets, Rockets, Bucks)
  16. Paul Pierce: 19 seasons, 1,343 games played (Celtics, Nets, Wizards, Clippers)
  17. Tim Duncan: 19 seasons, 1,392 games played (Spurs)
  18. Juwan Howard: 19 seasons, 1,208 games played (Wizards, Mavericks, Nuggets, Magic, Rockets, Bobcats, Trail Blazers, Heat)
  19. Jason Kidd: 19 seasons, 1,391 games played (Mavericks, Suns, Nets, Knicks)
  20. Shaquille O’Neal: 19 seasons, 1,207 games played (Magic, Lakers, Heat, Suns, Cavaliers, Celtics)
  21. James Edwards: 19 seasons, 1,168 games played (Lakers, Pacers, Cavaliers, Suns, Pistons, Clippers, Trail Blazers, Bulls)
  22. Moses Malone: 19 seasons, 1,329 games played (Rockets, 76ers, Wizards, Hawks, Bucks, Spurs)
  23. Charles Oakley: 19 seasons, 1,282 games played (Bulls, Knicks)
  24. John Stockton: 19 seasons, 1,504 games played (Jazz)
  25. Karl Malone: 19 seasons, 1,476 games played (Jazz, Lakers)

* active players


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