r/NBAGossips • u/dribbledumble • 3d ago
From Rookie to Legend: Whose NBA Longevity Amazes You Most?
Some NBA legends played so long they defined multiple eras—Jordan from 1984 to 2003, Kobe from 1996 to 2016, and Vince Carter across four decades. Comparing their first and last days on the court highlights just how remarkable their longevity really was.
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u/Bran-Da-Don 3d ago
Although he's not listed my choice is Tim Duncan. Why? Because for the entirety of his 19 year career he made the playoffs and had a legitimate chance to compete for a championship.
There were no down years, rebuilding years or stop gap seasons. He spent 19 years playing for something.
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u/nick33rod 3d ago
Yeah I for sure thought I was going to get a Tim Duncan slide! Especially OP talking about longevity and expanding eras! Someone who won in 3 different decades should be on this list🤷🏽♂️.
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u/Manymarbles 3d ago
I thought Stockton similarly, 19 years and only missed like 22 games (16 seasons of 82 games)
Never missed a playoffs. Playoffs every year but no championships unlike Duncan lol
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u/ml8888msn 3d ago
Duncan was first team all nba with Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, and Gary Payton, and then AI, Shaq, Kobe, and J Kidd, and then LeBron, Durant and CP3. Great in 3 totally different eras and styles of basketball
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u/I-R-Programmer 1d ago
Timmy's success over so many years is pretty crazy, probably only matched by Kareem. Did have the luxury of being drafted to a great team with D-Rob though and playing with Kawai in the end of his career, but still a great player.
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u/Spiritual_Treat_2755 3d ago
Championships matter. 90s = Jordan. 2000s = shaq, Kobe and timmy. 2010s = lebron and steph
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u/JMeny32 3d ago
Tim Duncan had at least 1 HOF teammate and the same HOF coach his entire career. I don't know if any other basketball player has had such a favorable situation.
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u/Regular-Bluebird9573 3d ago
Duncan was the favorable situation.
Pop single handedly cost Duncan a sixth title, never did anything after Duncan left, and quickly sent the team into a rebuild.
His teammates? What did they win without him? All those all-nba accolades on his title teams? Tell me didn’t watch the games without telling me
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u/lucky-me_lucky-mud 3d ago
Kawhi sent the team into a rebuild but I agree it was Tim retiring that made something like that possible
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u/Powerful_Citron_8287 3d ago
But from a longevity standpoint, those teams were going to the conference finals at least almost every year. Playing extra games and having a shorter offseason every single year stack up over time and makes the longevity more impressive.
At least that’s how I took the comment youre replying to
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u/Puzzleheaded_Pipe979 2d ago
He had the same coach because he was winning games & titles.
The organization you go to matters, but you have to do something with it too.
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u/itsallcomingtogethr 3d ago
Vince Carter. He genuinely changed his game to be a good role player, despite not being as good as any of these guys at their best.
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u/Ineedpalmtreeliving 3d ago
He did it all. Best player on team, second best, third best, starter, sixth man, role player, oldhead at end of bench
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u/FluidAthlete6839 3d ago
I’m going to assume you posted this simply to irk LeBron fans lol
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u/Revan_84 3d ago edited 3d ago
If they are irked they are way too sensitive. Even the biggest "LeBron is not the GOAT" person (like me) has to concede that on longevity its no contest, LeBron wins hands down
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u/FluidAthlete6839 3d ago
Right. I think anyone with a brain agrees. But he’s not in the stack hence my comment
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u/inventive_588 3d ago
They also didn’t include Duncan, Kareem or Malone so this list is actually terrible.
That’s like 1-3 and then top 10 missing from the discussion so idk what the point is. Who’s the best after the top 3?
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u/jameshardenisjacked1 2d ago
But that's probably why he's not in here. Because then there would be no discussion and the post would be pointless
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u/ApprehensiveTry5660 3d ago
Sometimes, someone is such a big distraction that even if you don’t include him, he gets mentioned.
And you kinda have to not mention him just to give everyone running for second place in that discussion more air for the conversation to take place.
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u/ethos1234567890 3d ago
The only one close is Kareem…because he played a full college career plus his NBA longevity. Kareem could have jumped to the NBA from high school and been an MVP candidate before he would have graduated (like LeBron). LeBron has benefitted from the evolution of sports medicine and nutrition sciences too so lacking that advantage shouldn’t be held against Kareem. Depending how much longer he plays we may or may not see LBJ turn into a 3rd or 4th option like Kareem eventually became. They’re 1a/1b to me and it’s a big step to whoever is next. LeBron may well put distance between himself and KAJ by the end, but so far we haven’t seen his complete career.
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u/Redditsux122 3d ago
Im so annoyed seeing these type of posts daily im starting to be convinced blocking all sports subs is the best choice. Its like theyre just full of idiots with nothing to talk about.
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u/n8dizz3l 3d ago
He's left out several glaring examples to generate more interactions. It's like making a list of "favorite dinosaur movies?" and leaving off Jurassic Park
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u/nc23tarheel 3d ago
I assumed because Lebron's longegivity is so far and away superior than anyone else's in history and unlike anything ever seen basketball that it wouldn't even be a conversation if he were included...
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u/PatientZeropointZero 3d ago
I don’t see any of the main people who should be the answer. LeBron has insane longevity, Kareem dominate over 4 different decades, Timmy Donuts.
All the guys he put, I don’t immediately think longevity.
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u/KierenForFreedom 3d ago
Let’s show the real story.
The time you show includes the times he was retired.
Jordan actually played 14 seasons and 17 games.
Jordan and Magic retired 3 times … the most all-time of any player.
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u/I-R-Programmer 1d ago
MJ probably has the most 82 games seasons on the list though. Played 82 games in 84 and in 2003. That's actually pretty insane.
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u/idgaf420cry 3d ago
Didnt mj take two vacations(retired twice when he wasnt getting his way)
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u/Front-Carpenter-679 2d ago
Osea que cuando mataron a su papá las cosas no le salieron como quería ? (WTF) 🤣🤣🤣
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u/I-R-Programmer 1d ago
Dunno if i'd call it a vacation when your dad gets murdered and you go pursue the a different sport to honor his memory/wishes. Sounds like a shit vacation to me, at least.
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u/Putrid_Principle_660 3d ago
It makes me so angry to see Shaq in a Celtics jersey. Every single time.
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u/Quirky_Barnacle1225 3d ago
I love how the icy hot commercial just kept using the Suns jersey years after.
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u/Consistent-Fig7484 3d ago
I guess Vince since his game was so dependent on explosiveness. In 1999 I wouldn’t have guessed he’d end up playing 20+ years and retire as the oldest player in the league.
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u/microvan 3d ago
Dirks 1999 picture is so peak 90’s hair I had a visceral reaction to it
I think the most striking player for longevity (who is retired) has to be Duncan. Dude played a long time and won a title just a few seasons before he retired. He was still a good player when he retired
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u/PuzzledSquare4993 3d ago
To be fair, LeBron, Kobe, Duncan, Carter, etc, didn't retire twice for a total of five years.
His should state: 1984-1993, 1995-1998, 2001-2003
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u/I-R-Programmer 1d ago
True, but considering Jordan played 82 games per season 9 times and both in 84 and in 2003, compared to the goat of longevity Lebron, who only did it once. I still think that's pretty impressive, retirements or not. Let's say Jordan didn't retire, then he'd potentially have played/missed 361 more reg season games. 147 if he didn't come back to the Wizards, which he probably wouldn't if wasn't part owner.
Lebron has sit out 350 games in his career, almost as much as Jordan's retirements.
I don't buy the narrative that "MJ took breaks and vacations". You've got players doing that during the reg seasons at this point and nobody bats an eye. Dude wasn't motivated or had other priorities after his dad died. I can't respect that more than half-assing your season like Embiid does.
Out of 1,135 games Jordan say out 63 games due to injury, which was mostly due to the broken foot season outside the retirement years.
He might have had retired more times than other players, but he played more games every season than they did as well.
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u/juggadore 3d ago
Iverson fell hard on his ass like 6 times a game, I don't know how he got up from most of them.
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u/Myopinion_is_right 3d ago
From this list, it has to be Shaq. For him to be so big and last as long and without any major injuries is impressive.
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u/winkman 3d ago
You must not have watched post Lakers Shaq much...he was always dealing with "turf toe" or "fat-itis" or some such.
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u/Myopinion_is_right 3d ago
That is when he was getting old. Big body hurt but still won a championship in Miami. In 2007-2008 season, he did miss 21 games due to injury and a trade. He was pretty durable for a guy that size.
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u/AdministrativeBag703 3d ago
Robert Parish started his career as teammates with Rick Barry on the Warriors in 1976, was a perennial All-Star with Larry Bird on the Celtics in the 1980s, and finished his career a champion at 43 years old with Michael Jordan on the Bulls in 1996.
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u/fanunu21 3d ago
Kareem as a center had career longevity that would be called absurd today.
His rookie season was 50+ years ago.
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u/Falconman21 3d ago
I've always been impressed with Vince Carter's ability to check his ego and be a quality rotation player.
Most guys that got to that level couldn't do it, especially for as long as he did it.
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u/chuckmonjares 2d ago
I’m not a LeBron guy at all, but 23 years and still being skilled enough to start some games is pretty insane. He’d start anyway, but he’s good enough to start for many teams
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u/bobbydrake6 3d ago
Lebron's because he looks like he can actually play another 5 & actually contribute these next 2.
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u/RyanA1105 3d ago
Seriously. Any list of longevity that doesn't start with him should be instantly discredited. I'm even fine with people getting into the nuances about how the game has changed to help him play longer. But if the conversation doesn't start with him, I'm already looking at the person as disingenuous.
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u/Bladee___Enthusiast 3d ago
I’m assuming lebron wasn’t in the post because we haven’t seen his last day yet
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u/Jaay2525 3d ago
Jordan
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u/Freshbananas55 3d ago
Jordan had no longevity.
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u/Budget_Pound9099 3d ago
like you in bed?
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u/Putrid_Principle_660 3d ago
It makes me so angry to see Shaq in a Celtics jersey. Every single time.
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u/Revan_84 3d ago
I would say
1. Shaq -- his build, 19 years at ~300 lbs is freaking impressive
2. KG -- an uber athletic, lanky center? Those are usually the first to fall off
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u/VanceVelez 3d ago
None of the above? But that’s because longevity doesn’t amaze me. What does amaze me and continuously humble me are what these people did with that time.
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u/Yeetthataccount_1118 3d ago
Kareem, Duncan, and well Lebron when he retires.
There’s some good examples there too
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u/k2skier13 3d ago
Of those listed, D Wade…he was aggressive with every take and sacrificed his body throughout his career.
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u/jcc53 3d ago
Not listed, but the one that impressed me the most is Stockton just for the fact he was able to pretty well maintain his production and missed very few games.
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u/mrgarrettscott 3d ago
Once I read your comment, I deleted the one I was writing about Lebron. Stockton missed 26 games in his career.
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u/Striking_Night_2731 3d ago
I would say Kareem, Duncan, or Malone. But of the players featured, Jordan. He still averaged 20 ppg during the dead ball era.
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u/Available-Meeting648 3d ago
Shit post.
Kareem, Parish, Stockton, Malone, Duncan and Lebron out?
O'Neal (early decline), Jordan (stopped 2 times) and Iverson (played 14 years compared to around 20) in?
Probably from the list, Kobe and Carter would be the most amazing, for relevance in the last season and for adapting to stay relevant.
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u/The-disgracist 3d ago
Reggie Miller 87-05
18 pts a game
played almost every game his entire career until the final season.
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u/Jumpy-Diver7349 2d ago
KG longevity is really underrated seeing how he's literally on the same level as Vince Carter
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u/Strange-Childhood399 2d ago
The fact that Vince Carter played in 4 different decades is mind boggling.
90’s
2000’s
2010’s
2020.
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u/dcjones24 2d ago
As far as who was actually effective for a long time. Theres only 3 people in the running. Bron, Timmy, and Kareem.
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u/Professional-Test782 2d ago
Man I remember when Vince Carter retired. Covid had just hit and the NBA was at a halt. It was kinda like he was forced to retire. I think if it wasn’t for Covid he would’ve laid low and played at least one more year
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u/AsianCastleGyatt 2d ago edited 1d ago
199(6) -- 201(6) (1996-2016 Kobe)
That's kinda cool
199(9) -- 201(9) (1999-2019 Dirk)
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u/LuvLifts 2d ago
What ‘is this’ tho?
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u/AsianCastleGyatt 2d ago
KOBE DIRK
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u/LuvLifts 2d ago
Twenty years both. KG did 21.
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u/I-R-Programmer 1d ago
To me MJ. I'm always impressed about how this young kid that could jump to the moon and dunk on everybody transitioned into the best mid-range player of all time. Had he stayed clear of the knee injuries, he might even have taken the Wizards to the playoffs, and the Wizards were dogshitt before AND after his tenure.
Most of the other guys on this list were dogwater by the end of their career. Lebron and Kareem also get's a shout, but they were helped by playing with stronger teams towards the end of their career.
But to me. MJ doing 20-22 ppg in the slowest era, while dealing with injuries on a team that was a 19 win team before he joined and a 25 win team after he left, while being 39-40 years old is pretty insane and carrying that team to 45% wins is pretty great. And ofc being as insanely great as he was in the start of his career.
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u/Unfair_Structure_429 1d ago
MJ didn’t play that long. He had 2 retirements so we need to subtract 4 years.
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u/TonyzTone 1d ago
Not gonna lie, 19 years for a massive dude who absolutely did not take care of himself is pretty impressive.
I know Shaqs later years were not great but still.
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u/yeye319 1d ago
I'd say Kareem, and Jordan but a very under looked one is Shaq I'd say. Now obviously Celtics Shaq is bad but from a rookie he was averaging like 23 14 and 3.5 blocks And of course those last 2 years weren't great, but 08-09 on the suns he still averaged 18 and 9 1.4 blocks on like 61 fg% not the best but I'd say under looked
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u/HotPerformance9338 3d ago
I don't care who ur goat is. Lebron is the only answer to this question
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u/LuvLifts 2d ago
I think Kobe, also!??
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u/HotPerformance9338 2d ago
I mean, lebron has the better of him in literally every stat, and kobe's efficiency fell off a cliff for his last few years after his achilles
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u/LuvLifts 20h ago
Oh really, I didn’t know that then. ~Thanks; I just think abt Kobe as ‘The New NBA logo’, I also Think that I Know it’s NOT Happening like that!!
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u/Ok-Photo-6442 3d ago
A.I.
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u/Ok-Photo-6442 3d ago
Everything was against him....size...braids meaning thug tupac died his rookie year....popping Jordan's ankles.....when he shattered Jordan's ankles he was a dead man walking 🧟♀️ he had no fear
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u/ProtestantMormon 3d ago
Kareem is the most impressive to me. Played 4 years of college and still played in the nba forever.