One of the great wishes of every basketball player is to participate in a basketball game NBA. Being a part of the best basketball league in the world is an honor that many dream of, but few achieve. In a tournament where there are hundreds of players with short-lived careers who no longer belong in the league due to a lack of playing time or opportunities, it’s a matter of merit for a player’s career to rise to the level where he remains in the league. season for many.
along history There are many actors who have carved out a world for themselves as supporting actors; Key figures in their team, not on the cover, not getting praise and recognition, They successfully built long careers in the NBA. There are also players who play without attracting much attention and bounce around from team to team, accumulating contracts and seasons as part of the league’s star roster despite not being noticeable in games.
But the most common rule is that the longest NBA career corresponds to the player Thatat least for a few seasons, They have risen to the elite ranks. The list of most played players is filled with All-Stars, champions, MVPs, retired jerseys, and Hall of Famers, and durability is a requirement not only to endure among the stars for many years, but also to become one of them.
Although athletes are becoming better prepared and careers are starting earlier and lasting longer, There are very few players who have played more than 20 seasons in the NBA, and few current players come close to that number. Actually, LeBron James, who is about to enter his 20th season in his career, is the only active player to reach this number. And ranks among the top 10 all-time in the league’s most games played season.
Player with the most seasons in the NBA
1. Vince Carter
The arrival of “Vinsanity” in the NBA was a true revolution. Carter was selected fifth overall in the 1998 draft. Drafted by the Golden State Warriors and automatically traded to the Toronto Raptors. In just a few months, basketball culture in the city and across Canada changed.Vince’s style of play was revolutionary 1.98m escort Ability to outperform higher-status competitors, He collided with some of the roughest, roughest defenders in the league in the air and ended up putting the ball in the basket with his characteristic aggressiveness. Few players have the ability, the magic, to keep fans of the sport glued to the television every night with the sole goal of not being the only one unable to commentate on the game the next day. The last game to raise the flag, no mercy for the hapless defender who will be co-starring on the next big “Vinsanity” poster. So does Vince.
But his performance wasn’t the only reason Carter had a stellar career in the NBA. With 22 seasons, he holds the absolute longevity record in the league. His scoring prowess, vast offensive resources, and outstanding defensive dedication have made him one of the league’s greatest stars and the face of a thriving franchise. His years with the Toronto and New Jersey Nets were his peak in the league at the time, with several seasons where he averaged over 25 points per game and became a key player for the team. But Vince never got the ring he wanted.
After leaving the Nets in 2009/2010Afterward, Carter bounced around several teams in an attempt to satisfy his thirst for success and disappear from that lethal, unpopular list of “great players who never won a ring.” He maintained a vital role on the freshly finalist Magic team, and he landed in Dallas to bolster the freshly championship-winning Mavericks, but Vince always seemed to arrive minutes after glory.As his level and physical abilities decline, he knows how to reinvent himself to continue signing contracts in the league, and In March 2020, he played his last game in the NBA. Before the league was suspended due to the epidemic, Then announced his withdrawal.
2. Robert Parrish
The player with the most appearances in NBA history, The only team in the league with more than 1,600 games and more than 21 seasons. The center from Louisiana earned his legendary status with the legendary Boston Celtics, After playing 14 seasons and winning 3 championshipsFormed an iconic trio with Larry Bird and Kevin McHale.
The parish also got Won fourth championship ring with Chicago Bulls In his final season, 1996/97, His role on the team is no longer very relevant. He had several seasons during Boston’s golden era where he averaged double-doubles in points and rebounds and earned a reputation as a great rim protector, the Celtics’ flagship characterized by intensity and defensive maturity. A nine-time All-Star selection, having his jersey retired by one of the two winningest teams in history, and being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003 are some of the honors that supported his great career.
3. Dirk Nowitzki
Facing a player of Dirk’s stature, any adjective feels too small. The German power forward has become one of the values of the NBA’s golden generation. The face of the team he led to its first (and so far only) championship, and first Great representative of European basketball In the North American League, With permission Drazan Petrovich.
Nowitzki joined the Dallas Mavericks in 1998. After being selected eighth overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the draft and automatically transferring to Texas, he remained with the franchise throughout his NBA career. So far, few players with a height of 2.13m have such superior wrists as the German, which allows him to pose a threat in any area of the field.
In Dallas, it didn’t take long for them to realize the diamond in the rough they’d been given and start building their future around Dirk’s image, They responded year after year with better performances and a strong desire to win. Personal merit is not enough. In 2011, after Nowitzki performed well in the NBA Finals, The Mavericks defeated the powerful “Big Three” Miami Heat 4-2. they got the ring Putting the final touches on one of the most special player-team relationships in league history. Dirk retired in 2019 after 21 seasons in the NBA, making 14 All-Star appearances, being one of the All-NBA Five eight times, and other merits.
Top 10 NBA players with the most seasons
- Vince Carter: 22 seasons
- Robert Parrish: Season 21
- Dirk Nowitzki: 21 seasons
- Kevin Garnett: 21 seasons
- Kevin Willis: 21 seasons
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 20 seasons
- LeBron James: 20 seasons*
- Kobe Bryant: 20 seasons
- Jamal Crawford: 20 seasons
- Udonis Haslem: 20 seasons
* Active players.
The active player with the most seasons in the NBA
1. LeBron James
LeBron James’ career has a basketball dimension that only a privileged few can accessOne of the great names left behind in the sport. “The King” has been at the center of debate over the best player of all time for many seasons, but he still retains the hunger and desire that made him the man he represents today.
2003 draft came to Cleveland Raised the highest expectations for a rookie, but few could have imagined that nineteen seasons later he would go on to become one of the game’s greatest superstars. He is about to enter his 20th season in the NBA, The sixth player of the Los Angeles Lakers, After strengthening in the summer, they have become one of the candidates for the ring again this year.
LeBron holds a plethora of personal records, including being the leading scorer in NBA history, and Won NBA championship four times, The most famous of which came in 2016, when, with the help of Kyrie Irving, he managed to topple the almighty Warriors and bring his beloved team, Cleveland, its first championship ring in history.Every summer there is speculation How much is left of one of the largest, As much as his body must endure, so must his desires. For now, we’ll be enjoying a new season where Lakers fans and LeBron himself will once again have a reason to dream big.
2. Chris Paul
One of the best point guards in league history. Chris Paul will enter his 19th season in the NBA, This year with the Golden State Warriors, This could be one of the last great opportunities to shake off the shame of not wearing a championship ring on your hand.
Paul is a former retro game director; Offensive ability and one of the highest basketball IQs on the court. Additionally, his fighting personality and good defensive abilities allow him to lead great teams on and off the field. There’s no doubt he’s one of those players who makes those around him better, which only makes him better.
Multiple All-Star appearances, including 2013 MVP, outstanding performance, selection to the All-NBA Five and other merits. A career that guarantees a spot in the Hall of Fame, Just the most complex challenges are the icing on the cake.
3. Kyle Lowry
Lowry came into the league without making much noise, an undersized point guard who excelled in the game, was a fighter and, most importantly, was a great defender. Over the years, he has become one of those players that you love when he’s around you and hate when he’s in front of you. In addition, its offensive performance has also been greatly improved, This kept him among the top players at his position for many seasons.
He won the championship as a key player 2019 toronto raptors, His career has been backed by a good GPA, but most importantly a mastery of the intangibles; his presence on the field can change the mood of a team, and he has become a great leader with the best talent in memory. One of the great abilities to force offensive fouls. He is a great player champion who stands out in those actions that cannot be quantified but are very important in the game. He will be running for his 18th election, The third place is the Miami Heat, He touched his second ring last season before losing to the Denver Nuggets in the Finals.
Top 10 NBA players with the most seasons
- LeBron James: 20 seasons
- Chris Paul: 19 seasons
- Kyle Lowry: 18 seasons
- Rudy Gay: 18 seasons
- Dwight Howard: 18 seasons
- Al Horford: 17 seasons
- Thaddeus Young: 17 seasons
- Mike Conley: 17 seasons
- Brook Lopez: 16 seasons
- Kevin Love: 16 seasons
These figures apply to the 2023/2024 season.