Longest NBA Career: Who Made the Top 10 List?

The National Basketball Association is a quite competitive league with about 82 games in each season under intense pressure. Playing in such an environment for a long time either takes a physical toll on the players or some of them even get prone to injuries over the years. However, some of the generational players and players with significant recovery genes manage to survive long and play for almost two decades. The credit goes not only to the talents that athletes have but also to the discipline that is shown by getting the proper training and recovery. Today, we will be recognising such stars from the NBA who have stood the test of time or are still surviving in the league for more than two decades and are still competent. So let's just move ahead with it.

10 Players with Longest NBA Careers Ever

While compiling the data for the Top 10 players with the longest NBA careers ever, as per Statsmuse, it turns out that the players who have played for most of the time in the league usually show a pattern of playing about 20 or more seasons in the league. Based on that information, here is the tabular breakdown of the player who played the longest in the league and the number of years they were active in the league.

#10 Kobe Bryant (20 Seasons)

Kobe Bryant, also known as the Black Mamba, played for about 20 long seasons in the league from 1996 to 2016. His right leg took the most toll with a severe sprain and knee issues. Yet, Bryant was able to go all out in his career with continuous striving for a close-to-perfection performance on the hardcourt.

That's how he survived two decades playing wholly for the Los Angeles Lakers. During this period, the accolades that he earned were 5 NBA titles, 18 NBA All-Star appearances, 2 NBA Finals MVP awards, and the season MVP in the year 2008. As per ESPN, here are the stats that Kobe racked up in his whole career.

#9 Jamal Crawford (20 Seasons)

Jamal Crawford played 20 seasons in the NBA after being selected as the overall 8th pick in the 2000 NBA Draft class. Moreover, he played for different NBA teams from 2000 to 2020. Notably, he was picked up by the Cleveland Cavaliers and then played for teams like the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks.

The list continues with the Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, and Brooklyn Nets. The Primary reason behind multiple switches in his career was due to his status as a bench player, during which he earned 3× NBA Sixth Man of the Year titles.

#8 Udonis Haslem (20 Seasons)

The 6'7" power forward was an undrafted player who first played in France for a year before returning to the United States to play for the Miami Heat. He played from 2003 to 2023 for the same squad and continued to contribute to his team effectively. At first, he did it with his defensive strength.

However, later on, at the twilight of his career, his stat count dropped a little bit, and he shifted more toward being a role player off the bench. During his 20-year-long career, he emerged as a 3x NBA Champion, leading rebounder for the franchise, and his team even retired his number 40 jersey at the end of his career.

#7 Chris Paul (20 Seasons)*

Chris Paul has been a generational player who has often been termed as one of the best point guards of all time. The round 1 pick four from the 2005 NBA draft class was an immediate sensation for the NBA. He first won the Rookie of the Year award and then went on to tally astonishing stats in his career.

The first one was leading the league in terms of steals and assists. He played for different teams, from the New Orleans Hornets, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, to the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. Chris Paul has also been a 12x NBA All-Star in his 20-season appearances and won the All-Star MVP title in 2013.

#6 Robert Parish (21 Seasons)

Robert Lee Parish, also known as the chief, was the one who dominated the hardcourt with players like Larry Bird and Kevin McHale. Eventually, he went on to average 14.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in his 21-year-long career. Most of his NBA stint was spent with the Boston Celtics. The rest of his career, he spent with the bigwigs of the time, like the Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets, and the Chicago Bulls.

The accolades that Parish received during his coveted career are 4 NBA Championship titles, along with 9 NBA All-Star appearances while playing in the NBA. Often, he is considered the Celtics legend who spent 14 seasons with them, and that's why the NBA squad retired the number 00 jersey in his honor later on.

#5 Kevin Willis (21 Seasons)

Kevin Willis was the 11th overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks from the 1984 Draft Class. However, no one thought he would survive so long despite being a decent draft pick for the Hawks. The 7-foot giant center dominantly played for the Atlanta Hawks at the start of his career. The other teams that he played for were the Miami Heat, the Golden State Warriors, the Houston Rockets, the Toronto Raptors, the Denver Nuggets, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Dallas Mavericks.

He played for 21 seasons for different teams from 1984 to 2007 as a versatile player. On his journey in the NBA, he achieved the NBA All-Star Player award in 1992 and won an NBA championship with the Spurs in 2003.

#4 Kevin Garnett (21 Seasons)

With 6 feet 11 inches of stature, Kevin Garnett is considered one of the best power forwards of all time for his explosive scoring skills on the court. Despite being a powerhouse player, he did not gas out and played 21 seasons in the league while playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, and Brooklyn Nets.

Surprisingly, He spent 14 seasons with the Wolves during his career, which started with them and even ended with the same team. He played in the league from 1995 to 2016 and even held the rebounding title 4 times in his career. He also won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2008 and even the All-Star Game MVP in 2003. Notably, he secured his place in 15 All-Star games.

#3 Dirk Nowitzki (21 Seasons)

Dirk Nowitzki, an international star, made his presence permanent as a legend in the league by playing for 21 seasons. He survived for a long time and played 21 seasons from 1998 to 2019. Notably, he spent all of his NBA career with one team and dedicated it to the Dallas Mavericks. He not only won the NBA Championship in 2011 but also secured the NBA Finals MVP the same year.

Dirk entered the 50-40-90 club in 2007 and won the NBA three-point contest in 2006. He is one of the most decorated international NBA athletes, and he was also loved by fans, having made 14 NBA All-Star appearances. Dirk was an all-around star during his heyday who could cover both ends of the floor with his athleticism.

#2 Vince Carter (22 Seasons)

Vince Carter played a whopping 22 seasons, and that's why he has claimed his right to the second spot on the list of Top 10 NBA Players with the longest career. His playing stint lasted between 1998 and 2020, and he was drafted as the 5th overall pick by the Golden State Warriors from the 1998 Draft class. But the Dubs did not stay with him for long, since he was traded the same day to the Toronto Raptors for Antawn Jamison.

It was after Vince's arrival that the Raptors made it to the playoffs for the first time in 2000, so it might be safe to say that he was an impact player. The teams that he went on to play with in the NBA included the New Jersey Nets, the New Orleans Pelicans, the Phoenix Suns, the Dallas Mavericks, the Memphis Grizzlies, the Sacramento Kings, and the Atlanta Hawks.

#1 LeBron James (21 Seasons)*

The living legend LeBron James has dominated the NBA like no other, and that's why he is termed as King James. It has been 21 years since he has been active in the league, and he has no intention of giving up anytime soon. He is still explosive in his approach and even played for different teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and the Los Angeles Lakers with the same approach.

That's why he elevated his team to championship level wherever he was. During his long and coveted career so far, he has earned 4 NBA Championships, 4 NBA Finals MVPs, and even four league MVP crowns. Notably, he has been part of every single All-Star game since his rookie season, which is 21 times. His journey kicked off in 2003, and it is still going strong.

*As of April 2025, LeBron James is still an active player.