Who Has Played The Longest In The NBA?

Who has played the longest in the NBA? This is a question that often gets asked, and there are a few players who have played for a really long time. Read on to find out who these players are!

Introduction

One of the most frequently asked questions about the NBA is “Who has played the longest?” The answer to this question is not as simple as it may seem. While there are a few players who have played in the NBA for 20 or more seasons, there are many players who have played professional basketball for a longer period of time when you include their time in other professional leagues.

In order to accurately answer this question, we must first define what we mean by “longest.” If we simply look at the number of years a player has been active in professional basketball, then the clear winner is Robert Parish, who played 21 seasons in the NBA, 3 seasons in the ABA, and 1 season in Greece. However, if we instead look at the number of years a player has spent playingbasketball at any level (including high school, college, and international competitions), then the winner is Bill Russell, who played 26 years total before retiring from professional basketball.

There are a few other factors to consider when trying to determine who has played the longest in the NBA. For example, Kevin Willis holds the record for oldest player to appear in an NBA game at 44 years old, but he only played professionally for 21 years. Additionally, some players may have had long careers but only spent a small portion of their careers playing in the NBA. For example, Manu Ginobili spent 22 years playing professionally but only 16 of those years were spent in the NBA.

When all factors are considered, it is clear that there is no definitive answer to this question. However, we can narrow down the list of contenders to a few players who have had very long careers either in or outside of the NBA.

Robert Parish

Robert Parish is a retired American professional basketball player who played center in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 14 seasons (1976–1987, 1988–1997). He was known for his strong defense, high arcing jump shots, and his tenacious rebounding. He is currently the NBA’s all-time leader in games played.

Kevin Willis

Kevin Willis is a retired American professional basketball player who played 21 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was born on September 6, 1962, in Chicago, Illinois and is currently 56 years old. Willis was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks with the 11th pick in the 1984 NBA draft. He played for the Hawks for 12 seasons before being traded to the Miami Heat in 1996. He played for the Heat for two seasons before being traded to the Toronto Raptors in 1998. Willis played for the Raptors for one season before being traded to the San Antonio Spurs in 1999. He played for the Spurs for two seasons before being traded back to the Hawks in 2001. Willis played his final season with the Hawks in 2005 before retiring from basketball.

Willis is one of only 21 players in NBA history to play at least 21 seasons in the league. He is also one of only four players to play for eight different teams during their NBA career. During his 21-year career, Willis appeared in 1,424 games and averaged 12.8 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game, and 1.3 assists per game.

A.C. Green

A.C. Green played in the NBA for a total of 16 seasons, the longest of any player in the history of the league. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, and Dallas Mavericks. He was a part of three championship teams, winning titles with the Lakers in 2000 and 2001, and with the Mavericks in 2011.

Darrell Armstrong

Darrell Armstrong is the player who has played the longest in the NBA. He was drafted in 1988 and played until 2004. He played for several teams, including the Orlando Magic, New Jersey Nets, Dallas Mavericks, and Indiana Pacers. He holds the record for most games played by a player who was not drafted in the first round of the NBA draft.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is very difficult to say who has played the longest in the NBA. Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and Tim Duncan have all played over 20 seasons in the NBA. However, due to injuries, retirees, and players who have not yet reached 20 seasons, it is impossible to say for sure who has played the longest in the NBA.