Playing just one, singular season in the NBA is a major achievement. After all, just about 1% of college players end up in the league.
So surviving and thriving in the NBA for two decades? That’s something only a select handful of individuals have accomplished. It’s a testament not just to a player’s skill, but also to their determination and commitment, keeping their body in good enough shape to make a meaningful impact on the court.
That doesn’t even begin to address all of the things that aren’t in a player’s control. Coaching changes, roster turnover and rule changes all can have massive effects on a player. Which is why the careers of players like Dirk Nowitzki, Kobe Bryant and Udonis Haslem are all even more impressive, as those three all spent 20+ seasons with one franchise.
In this post, we’ll take a look at the impressive individuals who carved out two-decade careers in the NBA.
How Many Players Have Played 20 or More Seasons in the NBA?
Throughout NBA history, roughly 5,000 individuals have suited up for at least one game. Out of those 5,000, only 11 have played 20 or more seasons.
That works out to be less than one quarter of 1%.
Typically, power forwards and centers have longer careers, because guards are often dependent on physical traits like speed and quickness. Big men have the luxury of running without the ball and posting up.
As you’ll see below, just three guards have hit the 20-season milestone.
Notable NBA Players Who Played 20 or More Seasons
LeBron James (22 seasons): James is the only active player with 20+ seasons played and will surpass Vince Carter for the most seasons played in history next year. James has suited up for three franchises in his career, winning a championship with each of them. Just another gem in the crown of King James.
Vince Carter (22 seasons): Carter’s career saw him play for eight different teams over a 22-season stretch. Despite playing for nearly a quarter century, Vinsanity never won a championship. His No. 15 has been retired by two franchises (Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets) and he was an eight-time All-Star.
Robert Parish (21 seasons): Parish was the first player in history to play 21 seasons. He spent the majority of his career with the Boston Celtics (14 seasons), winning three championships. The man called “The Chief” also went out on top, winning the title with the Chicago Bulls in 1997 before retiring.
Kevin Willis (21 seasons): Willis played for eight teams in his career and is one of just 15 players in league history with 16,000+ points and 11,000+ rebounds. He won his lone championship in 2003 as a member of the San Antonio Spurs, playing in 48 games.
Kevin Garnett (21 seasons): The Big Ticket won a title with the Celtics in 2007, unleashing a career’s worth of emotion with his “Anything’s possible!” postgame interview. Garnett was the 2004 NBA MVP, a 15-time All-Star and a nine-time All-Defensive First Team member.
Dirk Nowitzki (21 seasons): Nowitzki spent the first decade of his career being called everything from “soft” to a “bust.” However, the German superstar won the NBA MVP in 2007 and then led the Dallas Mavericks to the 2011 championship over a heavily favored Miami Heat team, completely rewriting his legacy.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (20 seasons): Abdul-Jabbar is a six-time champion and a six-time NBA MVP. When he retired, he was the league’s leading scorer, leader in minutes played, games played, field goals, blocks and rebounds. He is considered to be one of the best players in NBA history.
Kobe Bryant (20 seasons): Bryant was a five-time champion for the Lakers and retired as the franchise’s leading scorer. In 2017, Los Angeles retired No. 8 and No. 24, making Bryant the only player in league history to have two numbers retired by the same franchise.
Jamal Crawford: (20 seasons): Crawford played for nine teams over his 20-year career, carving out a role as a high-volume scorer off the bench. Crawford was the Sixth Man of the Year three times (2010, 2014 and 2016), the most in league history.
Chris Paul: (20 seasons): Paul is currently on his seventh team, having made 12 All-Star teams, four All-NBA First Teams and seven All-Defensive First Teams. “CP3” has led the league in steals six times. He is the second active player with 20+ seasons played.
Udonis Haslem (20 seasons): Haslem spent his entire career with the Miami Heat, winning three championships. He is the franchise’s all-time leading rebounder (5,791) and is the first undrafted player to lead a franchise in rebounding. The Heat retired Haslem’s No. 40 in 2024.
Who Are The Oldest Players in NBA History?
Modern Players Who Could Reach 20 NBA Seasons
Currently, there is one player who is on the precipice of reaching 20 NBA seasons: Philadelphia 76ers point guard Kyle Lowry.
Lowry is currently with his fifth franchise. He played for the Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets before joining the Raptors and becoming a six-time All-Star and NBA champion with the franchise.
The former Villanova guard had developed a reputation for clashing with coaches and having poor body language before he arrived in Toronto. At that point, Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri met with Lowry and challenged him to become a leader for the team.
Lowry took the challenge to heart and developed into one of the toughest players in the NBA, and helped Toronto to its first championship in 2019.
Lowry has previously mentioned his desire to retire as a member of the Raptors, going so far as to say he’d sign a one-day contract to do so. If Lowry returns, he’ll be 40 years old next season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as How Many Players Have Played 20 or More NBA Seasons?.
