Since its inception in 1947, the NBA has served as the highest level of competition for the sport of basketball. And in that time, approximately 4,500 athletes have been graced with the opportunity to play basketball for the NBA.

In the current iteration of the game, it is not rare to find players who have been in the league for the better part of a decade or more. But despite that, the average career length for an NBA player, out of the 4,500 players who have graced its courts, is just 4.5 years.

That figure is due to the sheer skill and consistency required to remain effective. The vast majority of players lack the ability to stay at their peak long-term, leading to short careers. But there are always outliers that float above the norm, and that includes career length.

Only ten players in the history of the NBA have remained as active players in the league for more than two decades. The following are the five longest-tenured players in league history.

1 Vince Carter – 22 Seasons

Carter played 22 years in the NBA from 1998 to 2020

Only one player in the history of the NBA has played in four different decades, and that honor belongs to Vince Carter. Carter made his debut in 1998 for the Toronto Raptors, and played with them until 2004.

From there, Carter joined the New Jersey Nets and played with them for five seasons until 2009. After that, he played with the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, and Sacramento Kings.

Finally, he hung up the sneakers with the Atlanta Hawks in 2020, with his final game coming on the day that the league shut down due to COVID. Overall, Carter played 1,541 games in the NBA, averaging 30.1 minutes per game in that span — a true warrior of the game.

2 Robert Parish – 21 Seasons

Parish played 21 seasons (1,611 games) in the NBA from 1976 to 1997

Robert Parish was a staple of the NBA from the mid-1970s through the mid-1990s, and one of the league’s top centers during that era. But what made him stand out was his sheer longevity.

Parish made his debut in 1976 for the Golden State Warriors, one year after their 1975 championship. While he did not win a title with them, he would go on to play for the Boston Celtics from 1980 to 1994, during which he won three of his four NBA titles with Larry Bird and company.

Finally, Parish played for the Charlotte Hornets for two seasons before rounding out his career with the Chicago Bulls in 1997, where he won ring No. 4. He played the same amount of seasons (21) as a few other players, but his number of games played (1,611, the most in NBA history) breaks the tie with them.

3 Dirk Nowitzki – 21 Seasons

Nowitzki played 21 years (1,522 games) in the NBA from 1998 to 2019

When one thinks of the Mavericks, the first player that comes to mind will depend on the age of the fan. The modern Mavericks are led by Luka Dončić, who has rightfully become one of the current game’s greatest players and one of the faces of the league.

But for the majority of the Mavericks’ history, Dirk Nowitzki led the team to success. He made his debut for them in 1998, and played 21 seasons in Dallas until 2019. In that span, he led the team to their (so far) only championship in 2011.

Nowitzki played a grand total of 1,522 games for the Mavericks, averaging 33.8 minutes per game in that span. He is, therefore, the greatest player in franchise history (perhaps Dončić will take over one day, but in the meantime, it is Nowitzki’s title to lose).

4 LeBron James – 21 Seasons

James has played 21 years (1,492 games) in the NBA and is currently active

When it comes to longevity, LeBron James is currently gracing the league with something rarely seen. Making his debut in 2003 for the Cleveland Cavaliers, James has gone on to play for the Miami Heat from 2010 to 2014, the Cavaliers again from 2014 to 2018, and most recently, the Los Angeles Lakers since 2018.

Although Father Time is undefeated, James is making a run for his money. Despite being nearly 40 years of age, he is still putting up stats close to his career high, meaning there is no end in sight. He will also grace the court with his son Bronny James next season, marking the first time in NBA history that a father and son have played together.

James has already racked up 21 seasons in the NBA, and is currently entering his 22nd. He just signed a two-year extension with the Lakers to remain in the league until at least 2026, which would allow him to eclipse Vince Carter as the player with the longest career — that is almost certainly a guarantee.

5 Kevin Garnett – 21 Seasons

Garnett played 21 years (1,462 games) in the NBA from 1995 to 2016

The player with the fifth-longest career in NBA history is Kevin Garnett. Known for anchoring the Big Three in Boston that won the title in 2008, Garnett made his debut with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He played for them from 1995 to 2007, before joining the Celtics from 2008 to 2013.

Garnett would then play for the Brooklyn Nets from 2013 to 2015, before returning to the Timberwolves in 2016, where he retired with the team that drafted him straight out of high school over two decades prior. He would end his career with 21 seasons and 1,462 games under his belt, a truly remarkable feat.

An honorable mention is Kevin Willis. Willis played in the NBA from 1984 to 2007, a total of 23 years. That would be the most in NBA history, but he missed two seasons due to injury, and therefore played a total of 21 seasons. He also played 1,424 games in that span, fewer than any of the aforementioned players.

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