Which NBA player has had the longest career? Almost every athlete wishes they could play in the NBA. It’s clear this is the most prestigious league in the world, and every athlete strives to have a long and successful career – both in the United States and abroad.

The league’s record holder for longest career span is Vince Carter who spent 22 years in the league from 1998-2020. At the age of 43, he retired from playing basketball after having begun his career with the Toronto Raptors in 1998. Among the eight players with 20 or more seasons in the NBA, Vince Carter is one of those very special players. 

Vince Carter & LeBron James

Vince Carter, known as “Air Canada,” “Vincanity,” and “Half Man, Half Amazing,” played 22 seasons with eight NBA teams before retiring in June of 2020. He is a member of a unique category of players, who were forced to leave the game without a single championship ring despite being an 8-time NBA all-star. It is safe to say he is one of the best dunkers the game of basketball has ever seen. Carter has scored 25,728 points and played 1,541 games during his career, putting him amongst one of the best shooting guards of his generation.

As of now, LeBron James is the only candidate capable of surpassing Vince Carter when it comes to seasons played. When James begins his 19th season with the Lakers in 2021, we almost expect him to play many more seasons, considering his condition and physical abilities. There are multiple records that James may be able to break, and the number of seasons is one of them. Injuries will, however,  potentially have a large impact on LeBron’s career going forward.

Robert Parish & Kevin Willis 

Robert Parish played 21 seasons in the NBA with four different teams as a 4x NBA champion and 9x NBA All-Star. After playing with the Chicago Bulls for nearly three decades, he retired in 1997 from the game of basketball. His greatest accomplishment in his career was with the Boston Celtics however, the team with which he won three championships. Robert Parish, together with Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, played a crucial role in the Boston Celtics’ dominance.

Despite not being the most distinguished player on our list, Kevin Willis managed to gain recognition as an NBA player who spent 21 seasons with the league. Beginning his career in 1984 with the Atlanta Hawks, he retired in 2007 with the Dallas Mavericks. With Gregg Popovich, he won his sole title with the San Antonio Spurs in 2003. In 2007, Willis became the oldest person ever to play more than two games in a season after turning 45. 

Kevin Garnett & Dirk Nowitzki

In 2004, Kevin Garnett was named NBA MVP, and in 2008, he was crowned champion of the NBA. Tim Duncan is also considered unmatched among power forwards. During his 21-year career in the NBA, Garnett played for the Brooklyn Nets and retired in 2015. Kevin Garnett is remembered as being an amazing player of the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers were unable to win a championship with him, but he finally won the ring after defeating them in the Finals after joining Ray Allen and Paul Pierce.

Dirk Nowitzki played his entire career with the Dallas Mavericks (21 seasons) and is considered one of the greatest European basketball players ever to compete in the NBA. Germany’s prodigy became the MVP in 2007 and later beat the Miami Heat in 2011. When you examine Nowitzki’s career, it becomes clear that he earned the championship ring with his razor-sharp fadeaway shots and superb performance in the 2011 Finals. Nowitzki is the only NBA player to have ever played 21 seasons for the same team.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar & Kobe Bryant & Jamal Crawford

Known as one of the most decorated players of all time, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has appeared as an NBA All-Star 19 times, was named MVP six times, and was a champion six times. As of now, his record for scoring the most points has yet to be surpassed. During his 20 seasons in the NBA (1969-1989), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar displayed impeccable consistency. While he played for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers, Jabbar was most notable with the Lakers, where he was an integral part of Magic Johnson’s team.

One of the greatest players in NBA history, 5x NBA champion Kobe Bryant embodies the Mamba mentality. He continues to be compared to Michael Jordan, which comes as no surprise since their play styles are pretty similar. Likewise, Kobe Bryant debuted with the Los Angeles Lakers and spent most of his career with them. Bryant being selected as the 13th draft pick in 1996, retired in 2016, following numerous injuries. However, his legacy continues to thrive in the league despite his tragic passing in 2020. 

Throughout his 20 year career, Jamal Crawford played for 9 teams. As a basketball player, he initially played for the Chicago Bulls until he retired with the Brooklyn Nets. A reliable sixth man with excellent ball-handling skills, shooting, and scoring, Jamal Crawford played a vital role for every team he played for. The sixth man of the year was awarded to him three times. Additionally, Crawford is the second NBA player who had scored 10,000 points or more while coming off the bench.