Longevity can be a measure of greatness. Many of the most accomplished players in NBA history are also among the most tenured in the history of the league, including LeBron James.
The 2025-26 NBA season marks the 23rd of James' storied career. After missing the first 14 Los Angeles Lakers games due to sciatica, James made his official debut versus the Utah Jazz.
In November 2025, sources told ESPN that Chris Paul, the NBA player with the second longest active run behind James, will retire with his 21st campaign at the close of the 2025-26 season. After Paul retires, Kyle Lowry will rise to second place, with twenty seasons under his belt as of the 2025-26 season.
Take a look at the players with the most NBA seasons under their belts below:
All-time
23 seasons
▪︎ LeBron James (2003-present)
22 seasons
▪︎ Vince Carter (1998-2020)
21 seasons
▪︎ Dirk Nowitzki (1999-2019)
▪︎ Kevin Garnett (1995-2016)
▪︎ Kevin Willis (1984-2007)
▪︎ Robert Parish (1976-1997)
▪︎ Chris Paul (2005-present)
20 seasons
▪︎ Udonis Haslem (2003-23)
▪︎ Jamal Crawford (2000-20)
▪︎ Kobe Bryant (1996-2016)
▪︎ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1969-1989)
Active
*As of the start of the 2025-26 season
▪︎ LeBron James, 23
▪︎ Chris Paul, 21
▪︎ Kyle Lowry, 20
▪︎ Mike Conley, 19
▪︎ Al Horford, 19
▪︎ Nicolas Batum, 18
▪︎ Eric Gordon, 18
▪︎ Brook Lopez, 18
▪︎ Kevin Love, 18
▪︎ Russell Westbrook, 18
▪︎ Kevin Durant, 18
▪︎ Jeff Green, 18
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